The Jamy Files
by 263Adder
Summary: Problem uploading new chapter on Archive of Our Own will try to upload ASAP
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Amy settled deeper into the couch, her neighbour's dog Fred curled up into her side twitching as he ran in his sleep. She had the day off and had spent nearly all of it playing with or walking the dog – looking after him while her neighbour went away with her boyfriend for the weekend. Looking at the clock she saw it was around dinner time and decided to get up and raid the kitchen.

There was a knock at the door. "Santiago – open up"

She groaned inwardly and glanced nervously at the dog to make sure he hadn't decided to investigate the noise. Thankfully he seemed too tired although his eyes were now open and his ears pricked up listening intently. Amy walked over to the door and after looking through the spy hole stepped back to let him in.

Peralta stood in the doorway holding a bag of food which she hoped was for her. "Hungry?"

"Sure come on in" He moved past her into her cluttered apartment and cast a disapproving look around the place as usual. "How are you today Granny? I hope you didn't stay up too late last night" She didn't know why they all kept criticising her apartment she didn't think her taste was that bad – she just liked it homey.

Not justifying his comment with a response she took the bag off him and walked through into the kitchen, Fred now eagerly at her feet.

"Cute dog!" said Peralta immediately distracted and tried to scratch his head. Fred however was having none of it and moved closer to Amy who was still carrying the food. "Jerk".

Amy laughed and started pulling the cartons out of the bag before grabbing some plates. She pointed to the draw he was leaning against and told him to get some cutlery.

"You mean you're not going to use the chopsticks – I brought them especially for you" he said jokingly.

"Too hungry – I actually want to get the food in my mouth instead of playing with it" Amy said. It irritated her that Jake could use chopsticks and she couldn't, her competitive nature kicking in.

They moved through to the couch and set the food on the coffee table and started to eat, Fred occasionally whining and Jake, being such a softy, kept feeding him scraps of his food.

"Was it busy at the station today?" She asked, trying to fill the silence. There was no point putting the TV on they rarely agreed on what to watch.

"Not really, Charles kept irritating Rosa and Terry ate yogurt. Oh and I think Holt smiled at my – or was angry. I can't really tell. Who does the dog belong to?"

"My neighbour Lauren. She's gone away this weekend, first trip away with her boyfriend – I'm about the only person Fred doesn't bark at so she asked me to watch him"

"Fred?"

"Yeah her dog" she answered pointing at Fred who was now laid at Jake's feet giving him the most pathetic expression.

"Oh for a minute there I thought you were talking about her boyfriend" he said a wide grin on his mouth. "He seems to like me"

"I think it's your food he really likes" she replied and watched Jake feed him a bit of chicken before sticking his tongue out at her and making her laugh.

This was probably the most comfortable she'd felt with him in a while, after their date which went surprisingly well and made her question everything she had ever thought about her relationship with him. She had always thought of him as her annoying partner, but slowly she was starting to acknowledge she might be starting to develop some non-platonic feelings too. She looked away and started to concentrate on eating her food again, wondering if it was a Charles recommendation.

They ate in comfortable silence after that and once they finished Fred returned to the couch and fell asleep next to her. Jake cleared his throat.

"Erm Amy" he said to get her attention – it did, he hardly ever called her by her first name. He grinned at her expression before continuing. "Look I wanted to ask you something and I want you to keep an open mind about it".

Jake took a deep breath and rethought about what he had planned to say to her when he was in the car outside of her building. He was increasingly finding himself planning his conversations with her like some nervous teenage boy with a crush on a high school cheerleader. It had now been over a month since their 'date', a date he had planned to make the worst night of her life but actually ended up being one of the best he'd ever had. He now found himself trying to put together another scheme to get her to go out with him again. But during the last week after they worked a long case together and spent nearly every waking moment in each other's company he realised he didn't want another bet or to keep on crashing her dates – he just wanted to _try_, try and have a real relationship for once in his life with a woman he actually cared about.

"Amy – I know we haven't always gotten along…"

She cut in and said very sarcastically "Oh I don't know _what_ you're talking about. What with your pranks and frequent jokes about my house, family and dates…"

He flinched thinking about two weeks ago when he found out she was going on some date with a guy who actually checked out and seemed kinda sorta alright. (Well that was underselling it, he was a stockbroker who actually owned a Ferrari – and that wasn't the only thing he found himself jealous of)

"…not to mention you actually trying to plan the worst night of my life. No I don't know what you mean – we get along _great_" she concluded.

"Hey – I didn't crash your last date. Bet you missed me" he said wiggling his eyebrows at her and watching her grimace. He hoped because she actually had wanted him to show up and ruin the date.

"You didn't have to be there to ruin it – Gina beat you to it"

"What?" Jake asked, momentarily sidelined, hoping to hear the gory details of how her date was absolutely ruined.

"Me and Mark were eating at the restaurant when Gina walked past the window, saw us and decided she wanted to join us"

Jake tried to suppress a grin but completely failed.

"Don't laugh. Anyway I don't know where she came from but she was really drunk and you know how she gets – she pulled up a chair and within two minutes was hitting on Mark and asking us over to her place for a threesome" Amy put her hand to her head and brushed back a stray piece of hair that had escaped her ponytail. "Thankfully I was able to convince a waiter that I had no idea who she was and he escorted her out" she finished grinning.

"So I guess Mike wasn't happy"

"Mark"

"What did I say?"

"He was fine about it" she said giving him her classic Santiago look to put him back in his place. "We're going out day after tomorrow in fact"

A strange feeling gripped Jake in the stomach, a feeling that felt worse than just jealousy. He felt rejected.

"Anyway, I don't know – he seems kinda nice. He's from a big family like me and seems just as competitive" she said with a slight smile. Jake wasn't listening his ears seemed to be ringing.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" he heard Amy say and watched her lean back into the couch while stroking Fred's head.

What could he say now? It sounded like she really liked this guy. "Oh, err, well I guess wanted to suggest" he paused for a moment before completely wussing out. "You might have to partner up with Charles this week – me and Diaz started a case today and it feels like it may take a while to wrap up". Jake cringed internally and hoped Diaz would back him up – maybe if he claimed one thousand push ups…

Amy felt a sinking feeling of disappointment. She didn't know why but she felt and hoped that he was going to say something else. "Oh, okay"

"Anyway I should get going – good luck with the dog" Jake said nervously, grabbing his jacket and moving towards the door.

"Night – Jake" he heard her call out after him as he walked out of the door without looking back. It wasn't until he was in the stairwell thinking how awfully that went when he realised she called him Jake.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Amy nervously fiddled with the charm on the end of her necklace as she waited for Mark to get back from the bathroom. They were now on their third date sitting in a very expensive and upscale restaurant on the East Side where Mark had just casually invited her back to his place. She narrowly avoided answering as the waiter came over and asked if they wanted anything else – she ordered some fruit desert the name of which she hadn't really paid attention to. While she felt fully comfortable with Mark, their dates going surprisingly well considering she was a part of them, there was still something at the back of her mind nagging at her, something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

She sunk back in her chair and told herself she was overanalysing the situation – like always. Peralta always said she needed to lighten up, 'be cool' – maybe he was right. Besides, she thought to herself, I'm sure Jake wouldn't have a second thought about having sex with someone he'd only known for four weeks. She could almost hear Gina's voice goading her on too, almost every time she was at the precinct Gina would make at least one inappropriate joke at the expense of Amy's love life. Nervously she finished her glass of wine as Mark made his way back to the table and gave her a wide smile. However she almost wished she could see another smiling face near her right now, even if that someone was purposely trying to embarrass her.

Jake leaned back in his chair as he waited for his finished work to print out. It was around 10 pm and he had finally gotten through most of his workload for the day, his only company in the precinct being Diaz sitting at her desk scowling at her computer screen like she expected it to do her work for her.

Terry should be there any minute for his shift all Jake had to do was sit there and wait for him so he could go home. Almost all day now he had been toying with the idea of calling Santiago who he hadn't seen all day. He knew she was on another date with _Mark_ tonight. The third date. _Third_. He couldn't remember the last time Santiago dated the same guy so many times – probably because they were either weirdos or because he scared them off for her. He tried to convince himself that it wouldn't turn into anything serious but he was finding it increasingly hard to be sure especially when he heard her talking to, well more like talking at, Diaz yesterday about him pretty much none stop. He hadn't been able to overhear much, they both just scowled at him when he tried to stand with them and joke about it forcing him to retreat back to his desk. Of course Diaz was here now – what was the harm in asking.

"Hey, hey Diaz" he said calling across to her desk. She stopped glaring at the monitor and looked up to glare at him. He stumbled, "Erm, by the way did I mention how much I like your…"

She cut him off, "What do you want?"

Damn, he'd just pulled a classic Santiago. Way to be smooth.

He got up and walked over to her desk. "By any chance did Santiago mention a guy named Mark to you yesterday?"

"Yes"

"Oookkay" He said knowing he'd have to more specific in order to get any information. "What did she say?"

Diaz sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Why do you care?" She said.

Oh what the hell, desperate times. "I just wanted to know if you knew what restaurant they went to for their date"

It almost looked like she smirked although he wouldn't put money on it.

"Not that I care of course, but you know for – a laugh, I just thought I might…" he trailed off under her glare.

"Yeah – whatever. I think she said it was called McCutcheon's. East Side."

"Great – I might head over there when Terry gets in. Maybe – whatever" he said, desperately failing to appear like he didn't care.

Jake pulled up outside of the restaurant not at all in a rush and saw Santiago through the window. She looked nice although he'd prefer it if her hair was down like she did on their 'date'. She was talking to a guy who he guessed was Mark who was stood next to the table. With a smug realisation Jake realised he was taller than him. Not that something so trivial mattered.

Deciding to use his usually tactic he picked up his phone and called her number, continuing to watch her as he did.

"Santiago"

"_Hey_ bad news Holt wants us all in" He lied watching her face for any sign of disappointment.

"What? Why?" She said anxiously although he thought her face looked remarkably calm.

"He wants us all to bring in our ties so he can inspect their suitability for the work environment"

She huffed at his response. "Seriously, I thought we were past this?" but she didn't look mad.

"You know you haven't quite given the game away to Mr Perfect Teeth yet, you want me to break you out, I'm right outside" and laughed as he saw her head turn to him and start to pull her classic mad face.

"Hold on" she said as she pulled the phone away from her ear to talk to Mark. Irritatingly she covered the mouth piece so he couldn't hear what they said. Mark grabbed her coat and helped her put it on. "I'll be right out" she muttered into the phone and hung up.

He continued to watch them right up until they kissed.

About five minutes later Amy opened the passenger door and got in before looking at him her eyebrow raised in question.

He ignored her and focused on "So you did want me to break you out. Is Mike getting boring already?"

"Mark"

"That's what I said"

"He's not boring"

"Then why are you here"

Amy didn't know what to say. She didn't particularly want to admit how her heart jumped when she saw his name come up on her phone and the relief that spread through her when she realised he was right outside. She pretended to be mad but she really wasn't.

She decided to avoid the question as she drew her coat around her and motioning to the heater said "Turn up the heat"

"Okay sexy why are you here"

"Turn up the heater in the car Peralta"

He obliged and she felt herself relax into the seat as the hot air blew on her face. "Need I ask again?" he said.

She decided to go on the offensive. "I could ask the exact same question – I thought you'd gotten over this childish game. It was already bad enough that you called my mother about my dates but this is worse"

"How?" he asked laughing. Oh she had been so mad when she found out he had talked to her mother about her dates. Mrs Santiago liked him – she might even have suggested that he and Amy should start dating. Not that he took the remark seriously at the time.

"Because you know I like Mark, I've told you this. And it's not like my stupid blind dates or set ups, I like this guy and I don't want you to mess this up" she said through gritted teeth. It was true she did like Mark, a lot. She saw a lot of potential in the relationship and not just because he's a stockbroker and has lots of money like Gina thinks. "We have stuff in common, we like the same music, and books and we have things in common with our families. _And_ for the record he thinks the best cop film is Training Day too. So please will you just stop trying to interfere?" she said almost desperately.

Jake didn't respond, he just put the car into gear and started to drive her home. They sat in the car in silence for a long time an uncomfortable tension hanging in the air. It wasn't until they pulled up outside her building that he decided he needed to speak.

Locking them in the car just as Amy moved for the door handle Jake turned around to look at her. "I can't"

She looked slightly confused "Can't let me out of the car?" she said slightly joking hoping to lighten what had turned into a very tense situation.

"I can't not interfere"

She leaned back into the seat and looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

He took a deep breath and said "I think you should date me instead"

Amy's heart seemed to stop and set off at the same time. "What?" not quite believing her ears.

"I know you like Mark and things are going well and all, but you should date me instead"

"Jake, I…"

"Look you don't have to say anything now but I just want you to know how I feel – so it's out in the open"

Her mind raced. She felt more comfortable with Jake then she had with anyone in a long time. But he was her partner what if things didn't work out – or if they did the work policy was strict, one of them might have to transfer to another unit.

"Ever since our 'date' I've been thinking about this more and more. You're obsessive behaviour, you're odd plans, the fact that you think _Training Day_ is better than Die Hard – it should drive me crazy but it doesn't. You've been my partner for a long time and I know that I trust you, I know pretty much everything about you and I know that I want to try and have a relationship with you. Just sex if that's all you want" he said wiggling his eyebrows to make her laugh. He leaned in towards her. "Just tell me that you'll think about it"

She didn't think which was probably for the best. She just grabbed him by his jacket and kissed him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

After a while kissing in the car Jake went home leaving Amy to catch a few hours sleep before her morning shift. As Jake had worked late he wouldn't be coming in until lunch, giving Amy a chance to think over the nights events.

She glanced around her, feeling particularly jumpy and positively sure that everyone around her could just sense what had happened last night. She wasn't entirely confident she could keep it to herself, especially when Jake showed up.

"Hey Santiago" Charles said as he walked past her desk. "Heard you had _another_ date last night. How'd it go?"

"Oh great Charles, thanks" Amy replied, trying to block out the mental image that followed.

Gina saddled over to join the conversation. "_Third_ date Charles" she said nudging him as she said so. "We _all_ know what that means" giving Amy one of her awkward looks which made her feel like she was going to squirm out of her skin. "Although personally I don't get why people wait so long – I find it very important to see what's under the hood before I get bogged down in the specifics" she continued, this time extracting a grimace from Charles who swiftly moved away from the conversation.

"Well that's good to know Gina" Amy responded before picking up some work and trying to look busy, not daring to resurface until she was sure Gina was back on the other side of the office making someone else uncomfortable instead.

She hadn't really thought about Mark, her mind had been somewhat preoccupied with someone else. Amy had always shied away from breakups, she usually took the cowardly long term escape plan where she slowly limited communication before severing ties completely – or until the guy got bored and dumped her instead. Mark however she liked – she felt like she owed him an explanation, make sure he understood.

Looking up at the clock she saw that she was due for a break in half an hour, she could call him and tell him what had happened. Or should she tell him in person? They could meet for lunch? But Jake was coming in at lunch. Oh this was always what happened when she started to think about things…uncertainty started to creep in.

_What if Jake wasn't serious?_

Of course he is he told you as much.

_They were partners they'd be putting their careers on the line if they got too involved._

_What would Holt think?_

All you have to do is fill out a fraternization form and there shouldn't be a problem.

_What if it went awfully and they broke up._ Would their ability to work together survive? While she often found herself at odds with her co-workers she couldn't quite imagine life without them. Let alone life without a certain someone who's jokes, while entirely inappropriate at times, always managed to begrudgingly make her smile.

And just when she thought her head was going to explode that someone walked into the precinct early with the widest grin she had ever seen.

Jake saw Amy's nervous expression but did his best to keep his smile on his face. Was she having second thoughts? She always over thought things, they should have talked more last night – not that he objected to the chosen activity.

Amy's reaction last night had certainly surprised him, after her long winded speech about Mark he felt sure that his little speech would be rejected. And even the optimistic side of him hadn't expected such an enthusiastic response. Even after he'd gotten home he hadn't been able to get to sleep, all he could do was picture the potential future they could have now everything important had been said. He'd even started planning the perfect date – even though he wouldn't have minded Charles' input, he was much more romantic than him, but then again he wasn't sure if they were telling people.

And more importantly she hadn't actually agreed to date him yet, although the kiss was hopefully a good sign.

He walked over to their shared desk and leaning near her, trying to look inconspicuous asked "Are you on a break soon?"

She looked up almost a little flustered and nodded, an attractive colour coming into her cheeks.

"Great, maybe I'll see you in the break room then" he said, attempting nonchalance and after dropping some of his stuff on his desk headed over there.

He wasn't waiting too long before she came in, quickly shutting the door behind her and walking over to where he stood, leaning against the wall by the side of the coffee pot. He had planned to talk to her, to try and soothe any of the concerns he could practically hear whirling around her head but as soon as she stepped near him all his conscious thoughts left him and he found himself enthusiastically kissing her instead.

She pulled back too soon, looking behind her as someone made a noise outside the door. "Jake" she hissed. "We can't do this here"

He took another step away trying to clear his head. "Yeah I know, I just, you just…made me forget"

She smiled at his answer and double checking behind her sweetly pecked him on the lips again. However once she stepped away some of the concern clouded her face again.

Drawing back on their conversation last night Jake said "You know you never actually answered my question last night"

"Why I left Mark?"

"I was talking about agreeing to go on a date with me – but that too, and I want you to know I am really looking forward to the answer" he said with a smug grin.

"I think I'd be willing to try and date you again – as long as you don't try to make me suffer like last time". Her words conjured a much more explicit picture then she probably meant and he shook his head to refocus.

"I promise. It'll be the best date ever. We can even bet on it if you want?" he said, half joking wondering what he could get from her this time.

"Hell no, no more bets" she said laughing a bit now.

"Fine" he said pouting "how about tonight – we're both off"

"What time?"

"Seven" he answered quickly running though his early ideas of what they could do.

"Okay – you can pick me up"

"I think I already have"

"Oh shut up"

They'd moved closer together again. But then another thing popped into his head which he had momentarily forgotten.

"So why did you leave Mark and come out to see me?" he asked, half expecting that she had come just to yell at him.

"Because" she momentarily paused, rearranging her thoughts. "I like you more than anyone else I've ever known" and contented herself looking at his smile that was so wide it would have cracked a normal person's face in two.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Amy dashed madly around the apartment trying to find the matching pair to the black shoe she was holding in her left hand thanking god that Jake was running late.

When she'd gotten home from work her mother had called and dragged her into a very long conversation about her brothers, grandkids and when Amy was going to get married. She avoided, quite well she thought, her mother's questions about if she was dating someone – not quite prepared to put any labels on what she and Jake were doing. When her mother finally hung up Amy only had an hour to go through her entire wardrobe, changing outfits about nine times.

When the shoe was finally found under a table Amy was just able to pull a brush through her loose hair when Jake knocked at her door.

The door swung open to reveal Jake who simply said "Are you ready for – the _best_ date ever!" totally self-confident that he had nailed it this time.

They pulled up in the car to a rather dodgy looking building in a rather dodgier looking neighbourhood. Every time Amy tried to question him about what they were doing Jake had shut the conversation down only saying that it was going to be "epic".

Finally however when Jake turned off the ignition Amy started to get a feel about what was going down as Jake opened the glove compartment and pulled out two guns and a pair of binoculars. Apparently the building was being used by two criminals who were responsible for a number of thefts of expensive artwork from private properties in and around Brooklyn – Amy remembered their names coming up in one of their last briefings. Jake had gotten a lead on where they were operating and Amy was going to make the arrest.

"We're working on our first date?"

"_First_? You mean you don't count…"

"No" she said cutting him off.

"Fine. Anyway I was trying to come up with the perfect date for you and I thought to myself – what does Amy love doing?" gesturing around them to show that the thing she enjoyed the most was her job. "Not to mention if you take lead it'll boost your number of arrests" drawing on her competitive side.

"But you did all the work" she said softly.

"Not everything, once one of their sales was flagged they were pretty easy to track. The real work is going to be bringing them in. Speaking of which" he took the safety of his gun, "I see movement – you ready?"

She nodded before stepping out of the car to go on the best date ever.

The arrest had gone down pretty straightforward, the two men had been unarmed and while one of them tried to take a swing at Jake he was soon able to restrain him.

Taking them back to the station was a joy. Jake continued to pile all of the credit on Amy which earned her, what looked like though she wasn't sure, a little smile from Captain Holt. When Gina asked why she was dressed up Jake, who was wearing a coat which masked the fact he was wearing a tie outside of work hours which would have raised even more questions, covered for her saying that their little mission had pulled her away from another of her bad dates, winking at her when Gina's back was turned.

Afterwards they grabbed a quick dinner at a restaurant near Amy's apartment by which time she was absolutely starving.

"You going to finish that desert" Amy asked looking longingly at a piece of cake Jake was tucking in to. They'd ploughed through the main course hardly saying a word to each other.

"So do you think everyone bought it?" Jake said his mind obviously back on the earlier trip to the precinct.

"That we just happened to be together – yeah I think so. Seriously you eating that cake?" She said leaning closer.

"Oh sorry" he smiled back, pushing the plate closer to her and handing her the fork.

She took a bite absolutely hating herself. "Mmm" she murmured before pushing it back over to him.

"Holt seemed pleased" he said giving her a significant look knowing how happy it made her.

She ignored him and went into classic Santiago overanalysing. "Do you think so? Because he didn't stay very long – in fact no, I think he knows. Of course he does he's the best detective…"

"_Amy_" Jake interrupted. "He was happy. And for the record I'm a _much_ better detective than Holt"

"Well that's hardly – wait what about me?" she complained.

"What about you what?" he said with a smirk.

"Aren't_ I_ the best detective" she replied batting her eyelids in a comic manner.

"Definitely not" laughing at her pout. "Don't sulk, if I wasn't such a good detective I bet we wouldn't have had nearly half as much fun"

"True – this was a good idea"

"Good?"

"Great"

He pushed the cake back towards her.

They sat there a while longer waiting for the check to come and for the first time on one of her dates Amy didn't find the need to fill the silence with unnecessary chatter. She just felt comfortable sitting there with him.

By the time they got back to her apartment it was around one in the morning and it was starting to take its toll on Jake who groaned inwardly at the thought of his early shift the next morning. Maybe Holt would go easy on him after tonight's work he thought hopefully before internally laughing at the idea. As if Holt would ever go easy on anything.

Stopping by the door he turned to face Amy who had been quiet most of the journey and was looking quite thoughtful. Before he could ask her what she was thinking she stood on tiptoe and sweetly kissed him, Jake instinctively wrapping his arm around her waist soaking up the moment.

They stepped back maybe a little bit too soon. Amy unlocked the door and pocketed the keys.

"Well…" Jake said getting ready to make his exit.

"I had a really nice time Jake" Amy said looking at him with the most beautiful expression.

"Which is why I can never see you again" she said quickly, turning on her heel and diving into her apartment.

Jake heard the door lock.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Amy came into the station rather reluctantly, only breathing a sigh of relief when she saw Peralta wasn't at his desk. Instead of sitting down at her mountain of paper work she made straight for Holt's office.

"Knock, knock" she said coming in through the open door which she shut behind her so no one else would overhear.

"I believe we have had this conversation before"

"Right sorry" she said, remembering. Amy stopped in front of his desk awkwardly not really knowing where to start.

"You wish to speak to me Detective Santiago?"

"Yes sir. Sorry, I just…" she took a deep breath "I wondered if you would allow me to change partners" hoping to god he would, already cringing at the thought of working in such close proximity to Jake after what had happened.

"Is there a reason for this? If he's getting, shall we say too _difficult_ to work with I'm sure I bring him down a notch or…five"

"No, no it's not that. I just feel I may be more, _productive_ if I were to work with someone else."

"Would you care to elaborate?"

"Well, I, it's just that I don't feel _particularly_ comfortable working with Detective Peralta at this juncture. Sir." Not really elaborating on much.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the, date?" he asked.

She was momentarily taken aback before realising he must be referring to the bet. "That, that was a month ago, sir and has had no impact on…"

"I meant your date last night" he said cutting her off, his expression not changing at all.

"You know about that?" she said incredulously.

"Do you take me for a fool Detective?"

"No sir" she said quickly, sitting down on the chair beside her. "I'm just – how did you know?"

"I saw you fraternizing with Detective Peralta in the break room"

She groaned, mortified at the idea of Captain Holt seeing them. And more importantly worried if anyone else had.

"I take it the date did not go well"

"No – no, it went really, really…great"

"I find that surprising" though his face certainly did not reflect that.

"But I realised that it wouldn't be appropriate for both of us to date"

"Well while there are policies that can curtail a relationship between two detectives there is nothing that strictly prohibits…"

"Oh, I know. I just meant how it would affect our partnership. If we date it might get in the way of our ability to work together. And while he drives me, well _crazy_, we do work well together. But if we date it might distract from the work, and if we break up it might make it impossible to even work together. I don't want to jeopardise the relationship that we already have"

"It seems like you already have"

She grimaced realising how right he was. She couldn't even face the thought of seeing Jake let alone working with him.

"I trust your judgement Detective". Usually a comment like that would have made her beam. "But you and Peralta produce good results, even if I don't always agree with his methods" he took a deep sigh. "I'll give you a, let's call it a _cooling off_ period"

Getting up Holt walked over to the door and summoned Terry.

"Sergeant Jeffords, for the following week I want you to partner Detective Santiago with Diaz. And let Peralta and Boyle work together too"

"Is this because of the date sir?" Terry asked looking disappointed while Santiago thought her face would burn off out of sheer embarrassment – they'd thought they'd hidden it so well!

He nodded in response.

"I'll see what I can do" Terry said, leaving the room with Santiago right behind him. She followed him back to his desk as he continued to talk to her. "I knew this would happen – I wanted to believe you two could make it work. I should have stopped you" he said automatically beating himself up knowing any trouble with Amy and Jake would ultimately affect the number of cases they closed – while they could both be irritating as hell they were still the two best detectives in the precinct.

"How did you even know?" Amy asked in hushed tones looking around her as they walked.

"Holt told me – we had a bet going"

"You bet money on our date?" Amy asked, unbelievably even more mortified.

"No – whoever won did each other's paperwork" Terry responded. "I can't believe I was stupid enough to say it would go well" shaking his head as he sat in his chair.

"Does anyone else know?"

"I don't think so" Terry responded speaking kindly for the first time. "Look Amy – bet aside – I think you and Peralta would be good together. Off the record"

"Are you just saying that so we keep working together?"

"Hell no. Usually I think any kind of work relationship is a bad idea. It gets in the way of closing cases. But with you two" he tilted his head "I don't know – I'd be willing to make an exception"

Amy really didn't know what to say.

"Huh, speak of the devil" Terry said suddenly looking back down at his work. Jake had just walked in.

He looked tired as he pushed a perp in front of him before handing him off to another officer. Amy knew he had had an early shift. And a late night.

Looking around the room Jake looked into Amy's eyes. She looked confused and slightly sad. She'd crossed over to their desk and was starting to sort out a pile of paperwork.

Deciding what to do Jake walked out of the main doors and went into a dark recess of the hallway. Pulling out his phone he found Amy's number and sent her a text telling her where he was.

She didn't reply but after a couple of minutes she came through the door her eyes scanning the room looking for him. When their eyes met she walked over to him, stopping a short distance away.

"Hi" she said softly.

"Figured you wouldn't want to talk in there" he said nodding towards the door.

"I don't think it matters – Holt and Jeffords already know. They even bet on how well the – date, would go" swallowing hard as she said 'date'.

"What'd they bet on" Jake asked, not really caring.

"Paperwork – apparently whoever won would have to do the others"

"No – I meant were they betting against us?"

"Holt did. Terry didn't"

Jake crossed his arms over his chest trying to resist grabbing her and kissing her senseless, no matter what she said last night. He had to focus. To try and understand what had happened. "Amy, we need to talk about last night"

"Yes"

He took a breath. "Look we already know how _I_ feel. I think we'd be great together"

"Yes"

"But clearly you don't think so" he guessed trying to provoke a longer answer out of her.

She sighed and sat down on the floor leaning back against the wall. Jake sat beside her.

Gently taking his hand she said "It's not that I _don't_ want to date you. It's more that I'm _worried_ about dating you. Does that make sense?" she said turning to look at him.

"I suppose" he said, enjoying the feeling of her hand in his and reassured by her words that he hadn't in some way upset her last night.

"I don't know. I like working with you – I don't want to ruin it. But then when I was talking to Holt and I think I already have"

"How?" Jake said surprised. He'd been so focused on what had happened last night he hadn't even considered how it would affect their job.

"I might have asked Holt to partner me with someone else"

"You _what_ – why?" Jake asked, quickly modulating his voice. "Why the, _hell_, would you do that!"

"I was just so uncomfortable after last night. I was so mean"

He paused for a minute, thinking it through. "No you weren't mean. You just over thought. And then acted without thinking, which now I've said it out loud doesn't make that much sense. What I mean is if you were concerned you should have talked to me about it instead of just giving up"

"I know. I just – I don't know what we're _doing_" she said desperately, willing him to see through her neurotic thought process.

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "We – unless you have any objections – are dating. Exclusively for the record – so you better tell Mike to take a hike"

"Mark – I already did"

"When?" Jake asked wondering if she did it yesterday morning.

"Last night. I called him as soon as you left"

"It was one in the morning"

"I know. But I knew I couldn't date someone while I was attracted to someone else"

"That didn't stop you from going on any of your other bad dates" he said jokingly, glad things seemed to be going well.

"Maybe not – but it might explain why they always ended badly" she said giving him a kiss. "When does your shift end?"

"Now – but I need to stay to type up my report"

"I don't finish until tonight – I'll meet you at your place?" she said tentatively.

"Guess I better clean it then" Jake said smiling having one more quick look around to check they were alone before pulling her into a long kiss.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Jake heard another knock at the door and ran over to answer it. Amy stood in the doorway, not even having changed out of her work clothes yet. "Hey" he said.

"Hi" she said looking doubtful as she heard noises coming from his kitchen. "What's going on?"

"Well I got home" he started gesturing for her to come in "cleaned up and then guess who turned up completely uninvited"

"Amy?" Charles asked coming out of the kitchen wearing an apron and carrying a spatula covered in some green gunk. "What are you doing here?"

Jake turned to face him and thinking quickly on his feet said "Oh I forgot, I asked her to come round to help me…choose a birthday present for my mom" he ended, figuring it was a good lie given her birthday actually was next week.

"Oh. Well you should've asked me" Charles said, seemingly believing Jake's explanation, "last year I bought my mum a personalised cutlery set which she _loved_" turning back into the kitchen.

Amy gave Jake a questioning look. Answering in a hushed voice – "Apparently he took an earlier remark I made about football to mean that I actually care about watching the game"

"Charles likes football?" she said disbelievingly.

Jake sighed. "He says he does but he's spent the whole time in the kitchen making his 'renowned' homemade guacamole"

"Can't you get rid of him?" Amy said, doubtfully. No one could get rid of Charles.

"I bet he'd leave if we started making out in front of him" Jake joked. "Come on let's go sit down – he'll probably be in the kitchen for ages anyway"

Settling down in front of the couch Jake had the TV already on the right channel. Instead of watching it however he pulled out a laptop and put it between them. "In case Charles comes in" he explained, pulling up a few websites he could buy presents off of.

"Is it actually your mom's birthday or did you make that up?" Amy asked quietly.

"It's on Thursday. I'm taking her out for dinner"

"That's nice" Amy said. "Have you gotten her a present yet?"

"Yep – haven't wrapped it though. I'm terrible at wrapping presents – I had planned on tricking you into doing it actually" he said smiling at her, still whispering.

"_What_ – how?" she said disbelievingly.

"I was going to make it into a competition, say that I could wrap presents better than you or something"

Amy sighed, knowing that probably would have worked.

Charles walked in with a bowl of guacamole and some nachos before sitting down on the couch next to Amy. "So who's winning?" It took Amy a second to realise he was talking about the game. At this point she didn't even know who was playing.

"Huh – oh I wasn't paying attention, too busy" Jake said pointing at the screen.

"Oh – have you chosen something yet because I'd be happy to…"

"No it's okay man, Amy already decided for me. I'm taking her out for dinner anyway so I only needed something small"

"What did you choose?" Charles said to Amy whose mind refused to come up with any kind of an answer given how little she actually knew about Jake's family.

"Well I had a few ideas already but she decided that me paying to get the ring her mother gave her resized would be the nicest" Jake cut in. "Isn't that right Santiago?"

He'd been calling her Amy so often now it felt odd to hear him call her by her last name. "Yep – I thought it was a sweet idea" she replied before remembering that they needed to act normally in front of their colleagues if they were going to try and keep things under wraps. "Considering, you know, what an ignorant big-headed jerk he can be" squirming as she realised she might have overdone it. She never was good at undercover work.

Jake nudged her discreetly. 'Sorry' she mouthed to him, turning her head so Charles couldn't see.

She took a handful of nachos realising how hungry she was. While she was irritated with Charles for being there she begrudgingly gave him credit for the guacamole – it was good. If she was at home she'd probably just have eaten cereal.

"So Charles – when's your shift tomorrow?" Amy asked, a plan suddenly coming to her.

"I don't really have to be in until lunch, I worked a late shift last night and am owed time – why?"

"Oh nothing – it's just that I know Diaz plans to be in early. I thought you two were working a case together" she said slyly.

"Really – oh, I didn't, didn't notice" he said looking around him. "Well you know now I think about it I have some paperwork I could be getting on with – best head home, get an early night if I'm going to get it all finished tomorrow"

Jake gave Amy a wink and said "Well if you're sure you have to go – shame you can't stay for the end of the game" wincing, worried that Charles may take him up on the offer.

"No, no I'll get off. Bye Amy – Jake" he said walking over to the door with Jake behind him. Amy heard it shut a minute later and Jake came back in.

"Excellent plan Santiago" putting his hand up for her to high five it. "Now" he said sitting close to her and rubbing his hand over her knee. "What to _do_?"

"Well I don't want to disappoint you but I was hoping we could talk about something first" she laughed at his sour expression. "Relax, it'll only take a minute" she said getting up and grabbing her bag. She pulled out some forms.

"Work – really Santiago?"

"Charles is gone you can call me Amy again jerk"

"Jake"

"That's what I said" she answered smiling before handing him the papers.

He scanned the title and breathed a sigh of relief. It was the form to be submitted to Holt for interwork relationships. "Where do I sign?" he said absolutely beaming at her.

After everything had been dated and signed Amy put it all away. "Okay – enough work. What do you want to do?"

"Order some food?" he suggested.

"Great, I'm starved"

"You didn't have to drop me off you know" Amy said as they walked up the five flights of stairs to her apartment.

"It's no problem" he said twisting their fingers together. "So are you giving Holt the paperwork tomorrow?"

"First thing I'll do – promise"

"Well" he said as they reached her door. "Maybe not the _first_ thing" pushing her against the wall and kissing her gently, letting his hand spread across her stomach and enjoying the feeling as she ploughed her hands through his hair as the kiss intensified.

She pulled back all to suddenly. "Jake" she said quietly.

"What?" he answered playfully trying to pull her closer.

"Look at the door" she said under her breath.

The lock was smashed in.

"Do you think there's anyone still in there?" she asked automatically moving slightly away from the entrance.

"Only one way to find out" he said, thankful that at least Amy was armed having come straight from work.

Jake carefully and as quietly as he could opened the door and slowly walked into the dark apartment with Amy a step behind him brandishing her gun. Suddenly he heard a loud click and something cool jab him in the head.

"Put down your gun Amy" said an unfamiliar voice, "or I shoot".

Turning on the lights Amy gasped and the door shut behind them.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

"Mark?" Amy said in complete shock.

His face, which she had up until that point considered handsome, was twisted in a horrific expression. "I said _put the gun down_. Or I shoot pretty boys face off"

'Pretty boy' Jake mouthed looking at Amy. He nodded his head ever so slightly.

"Okay – okay I'm putting my gun on the floor" Amy said slowly, lowering her weapon.

"Good, now kick it over"

Once she was unarmed, with his gun still pressed to the side of Jake's head, he directed them over to Amy's couch and told them to sit down.

"I had hoped to catch you alone" he said looking at Jake, however the situation didn't seem to make him in the slightest bit uncomfortable. "Two bodies will be harder to get rid of"

Jake grabbed Amy's hand instinctively. "Why are you doing this?" he asked while his mind raced trying to come up with a way to get Amy out of here safely.

"That doesn't matter to you?"

"Well considering I'm the one about to get shot…" Jake said.

"Mark, just tell us what you want" Amy said quietly and desperately. "Anything, just don't hurt my partner he hasn't done anything"

"I'm not going anywhere without you" Jake said fiercely. "We can work something out – just let her go, we can make a deal"

"I don't want a deal. A good cop is a dead cop" Mark said spitting the words out with contempt – it sounded like he'd said it before. He looked around him before walking over to Amy's purse and after rummaging around for a minute he pulled out her cuffs.

"Put those on" he said throwing them at them, hitting Jake on the forehead. Jake obliged and put one cuff on his right hand and one on Amy's left still keeping their fingers twined together.

While Mark was still at the other side of the room Jake said under his breath "Where's your backup gun"

"In the draw of the table next to you" she said, thankful it was so close, wishing she had it to hand right now so she could finish this.

"We're going to need a distraction"

"Stop talking both of you" Mark hissed. He raised the gun to Jake's head. "Don't worry I have plenty of plans for your partner" he said maliciously.

"Not to sound needy – but I just want you to know you're the best partner a guy could wish for. And an amazing kisser – just for the record" Jake said to Amy without taking his eyes off Mark, planning to jump the gun, hoping to hell neither of them would get shot.

With neither man expecting it Amy launched at the gun knocking it away from Jake's head. Mark just managed to keep a hold of it but was successfully taken aback by Amy's manoeuvre. The two of them struggled while Jake desperately reached towards the table and managed to get the draw open. He heard a loud smack and saw Mark had hit Amy with the butt of the gun – not that that stopped her from fighting him with everything she had. God he loved that woman.

It was hard to rummage around the draw with Amy moving on the other end of his arm but he soon felt his fingers brush against the cool metal.

"Get off" he heard Mark roar, knocking Amy over who promptly kicked him hard in the shin bringing him down with her. Jake who was jerked off his feet by the movement abandoned his effort to get the spare gun and pounced on Mark's back jabbing his elbow hard into his spine momentarily winding him.

The gun slid across the floor.

Jake scrambled to get it when he heard a loud groan. Amy, while Mark was momentarily distracted by Jake's sudden movement and losing the gun, had taken advantage and punched him in the jaw as hard as she could knocking him unconscious. Jake swiftly picked up the gun regardless and pointed it at him in case he woke up.

"Amy – you okay" he said between sharp breaths.

"Yeah, yeah I think so" she said, he'd never been so thankful in his life. He watched her stand up and walk over to his side panting hard. She ran her hand across his face. "Are you?"

"As well as I can be – let's get the keys for these cuffs" he said, not taking his eyes of Mark for a second. As soon as they were able to free themselves they restrained him and waited for backup to arrive.

"You're lucky Peralta was there to alter his plans. We've seen this guy before although we never knew his identity. He targeted cops – females in particular. He's killed four NYPD officers already" Holt said as the three of them sat in his office while Terry booked Mark outside.

"What is it with you and dating psychos" Jake said jokingly while rubbing his sore shoulder.

"I don't date psychos. Well at least not before him. Just regular weirdoes" she said giving him a significant glare.

He tried to suppress a grin but failed.

"Apparently his father was shot by NYPD after robbing a convenience store – apparently he was looking for some kind of _justice_" he said dryly.

Amy sighed, of course he would target _her_. Lucky for her she hadn't been alone – and even luckier for her she'd been given a good reason to dump him before she found out he was a psycho.

"Well I think you can both be excused. You'll want some rest I imagine" Holt said his face betraying no emotion although his words sounded kind – sort of. She wasn't sure, she never really was, no matter what she said to the others. "You can finish up your reports when you come back in – with your testimonies and his fingerprints from other cases I think we can safely assume this man will be behind bars very soon" he finished watching them as they left the room.

Amy's face was slightly swollen where the gun had hit her and Jake had a shallow cut on his forehead – it could have been a better date all in all. But perhaps they could make up for it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Jake put his key in the lock and let Amy pass into the apartment first. Since her lock was broken in he asked – well more like he demanded – that she stay with him. He was also pretty certain, though he knew she would deny it, that she didn't want to be alone.

"Well I guess you're tired" Jake said, throwing his jacket at a nearby chair. "You can take the bed, I'll crash on the couch"

"Don't be ridiculous it's your bed" Amy said through a yawn. "I'm so tired it doesn't matter where I sleep anyway"

Knowing the argument could last forever Jake took Amy gently by the shoulder and guided her into his bedroom. He grabbed his PJs. "Do you wanna borrow a shirt?" he asked.

"Please" she answered sitting on the edge of his bed. He rummaged in one of his drawers and found one shirt that he was certain was clean.

He passed the shirt to her before heading into the bathroom to brush his teeth and get changed.

When he came back out she hadn't moved though she had tidily laid out his shirt beside her. To anyone else she looked like she was daydreaming, staring idly at the wall. But Jake could practically hear her brain go into overload.

"Amy?" he said cautiously.

She slowly turned to his voice her eyes swimming.

"Hey" he said striding to her side and wrapping an arm around her wondering if she was going into some kind of delayed shock. "Mark's locked up – you're fine" comfortingly rubbing her shoulder.

"What – no. Jake he could've killed you" she said somehow quiet and shrill at the same time. "It was my fault"

"Fault – Amy, we caught a serial killer. That's a plus"

"A serial killer who was about to make us his next victims"

"Minor detail" Jake said under his breath – she glared at him.

"Amy, look" he said taking her hand "Let's not freak out about this". She opened her mouth but he continued to talk effectively silencing her "If you're going to freak out about anything think about handing in that paperwork tomorrow to Holt and officially admitting that you're dating me" he said with a massive grin.

"That doesn't scare me" Amy said her eyes scanning his, probably looking for any sign that it worried him.

"Me neither" he said clarifying. "But are we telling anyone else?" he said relaxing back on the bed and gently pulling her down with him trying to get her to relax. She rested her head on his chest.

"Mmm well Holt will know, and probably Terry too as he'll process the form. Holt would probably keep it to himself but Terry will doubtlessly  
tell everyone"

"So – pre-emptive strike?" Jake asked.

"I don't know. I admit it would have been pretty hot sneaking around behind everyone's backs"

"And if they know we'll never hear the end of Gina's smutty lines" Jake added.

"It would be nice to keep it quiet while we figure this out. Do you think if we ask Holt he will keep it to himself?" Amy asked hopefully.

"I bet we could keep it a secret. We're the only good detectives in there anyway" he said with a scoff.

She lifted her head up to look at him. "I thought you were the only good detective" she said coyly.

"I'm a _great_ detective" he corrected. "And so are you. And let's face it, together we're _unstoppable_"

"You're right" she said contently and laid back down. "Maybe we should pack it all in and start a life of crime"

"Yeah – I could be the Handsome Bandit (_need I explain_) and you could be Sexy Santiago" he said sweeping his arm as he said so.

"Wouldn't it kinda be giving the game away to use my actual name" she said laughing, her stomach doing a little skip as he described her as sexy. It felt so weird how open they had become with their feelings this last – wow only a week. It seemed longer. In a good way.

"Fine – The Handsome and Sexy Bandits – terrorising New York"

"Terrorising?"

"Well, no not terrorising… let me start over. The Handsome and Sexy Bandits, carrying out carefully orchestrated non-violent crimes that leave law enforcement befuddled"

"Befuddled?"

"Yeah – befuddled" he said sweeping his arm again before settling it on her waist pulling her closer. Amy laughed.

"Sounds like a plan"

They laid there for a while feeling quite content in each other's arms. Eventually Jake spoke. "So – what do we tell Holt?"

"What do you mean?"

"How do we label this – not to sound too much like a, well like a girl here. Just to clarify"

"I don't know. We've only been on one date"

"Unless you count…"

"The bet date does not count as a proper date, you spent the majority of the date trying to make me miserable"

"And tonight?"

"Considering it ended with a fight and near death I'm going to say _no_"

"Okay" he said teasingly. "Just saying if we counted them we'd have been on _three dates_" he said with emphasis waggling his eyebrows at her.

She gently punched his arm. "You have a cut forehead and a bad shoulder and I have a split lip and a giant lump on my chin. You really wanna have sex right now?"

"Amy I always wanna have sex right now but I see you're point" he said laughing before pulling them both up. "You need to get changed so we can get some sleep. If we're going to plead our case before Holt tomorrow"

"So we're keeping it a secret?" Amy asked, feeling slightly thrilled at the idea of sneaking around with him.

"Yeah" Jake said.

Amy wrapped her arms around his neck and gently pressed her lips to his. While she tried to keep things slow Jake soon pushed her back down on the bed and pushed his tongue into her mouth and kissing her so intently she was soon gasping for breath.

"You know – considering it. I think we can count it as two dates"

"Really?" Jake said smiling as he pushed her hair behind her ear, "Why?"

"Well the way I figure it our bet date started bad – _thanks_ for the effort you put into that by the way" she said sourly, "and ended well. This date started well and ended badly – although through no fault of our own. If we put them together…"

"You get one good date"

"And the one you planned was pretty fantastic"

"Apart from when you slammed a door in my face"

"I guess it's a good thing there aren't any doors here tonight" she said, lowering her sights back down to his lips. He grinned and pressed his mouth to hers again before getting up. She pouted.

"Get changed" he said and walked out of the bedroom closing the door behind him.

After about five minutes Amy walked out of the door and could practically feel Jake's eyes rake over every part of her body. His shirt hit her about mid-thigh and she'd left her hair down – knowing that's how Jake liked it.

"So I've been thinking" she said, leaning into the door way.

"Uh-oh"

"We can share the bed"

Jake made an exaggerated sigh and slowly walked over to her. "Fine – but don't expect me to keep my hands to myself" and walked into the room leaving Amy to shut the door behind them.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

The sun filtered in through the blinds Jake had never gotten around to shutting last night casting a warm yellow glow in the room. He was pressed up against Amy's back when he woke up and found their hands linked. He started to twine his fingers into hers and felt her respond by rubbing her thumb on the back of his hand.

Slowly he lifted his head and she turned to look at him. "Amy" he said, his voice rough. He leaned over and bending his head down slowly started to kiss the side of her neck, running his hand down her side as she turned into him.

She breathed him in and placed her hands on his head pulling his mouth to hers. She felt him carefully lower himself, using his elbows to keep his weight off her while still allowing the full length of his body to press against hers. The kiss intensified as Jake moved his hand to her abdomen and Amy allowed one of her hands to slowly move from his head to his back, pulling him closer to her, unsatisfied with their current level of contact, wanting more.

Jake heard her moan and to her frustration pulled back, searching her eyes for his unanswered question.

Slowly she seemed to realise what he was asking and nodded slightly stretching out beneath him and using her hands to pull him back down to her. While he obligingly resumed kissing her he mainly focused on moving his hand from her abdomen and slipping it under his shirt, tracing the outline of her underwear.

"What've we been doing all these years?" he said, quietly laughing to himself.

"Arguing and making bets" Amy said nestling her head on his shoulder, pulling the duvet around her.

"I'll take the trade off any day" he murmured before dipping his head to kiss her.

When they eventually made it into work they briefly stopped at their desks on their way to Holt's office to finish up their reports about Mark Reese so it could get processed. Amy also dropped a call to her landlord who promised the new locks would be installed by lunch and that he would leave the new key with her neighbour Lauren.

It took them a while to notice the smiles in their direction and the fact that Rosa and Gina exchanged money. Apparently Holt and Terry hadn't been the only ones making bets.

Eventually Gina sauntered over and said "For the record you guys just lost me thirty bucks"

"What?" asked Amy wondering if she'd missed something.

"Me and Diaz had a bet when you two would finally do it – I thought Amy would've at least waited for another date. Not that I disapprove" she said winking at Amy before walking off.

Amy thought her face would burn off while Jake tried to pass off his nervousness with a laugh and a "Yeah right Gina" though she had already gone.

They looked at each other before simultaneously getting up and going into Holt's office with their interdepartmental relationships form in hand.

"Sir?" Amy asked peering around his door.

"Leave the form on my desk Santiago" Holt said without even looking up from the report on his desk.

"We just wanted to come in as we figured you'd want to talk to us" Jake said coming in behind Amy, looking at Holt who was still focused on the report.

"No"

"Really?" Jake asked. "No lectures?"

"No – dismissed" he said which immediately sent Amy out of the door and Jake with a sigh realised he'd better follow her – didn't want to upset his _girlfriend_.

Rosa was sat on the edge of Jake's desk with Charles beside her looking like he was going to implode with enthusiasm.

"Hey Jake, my _man_" he said putting his fist out. Jake bumped it, he couldn't leave a guy hanging. Amy gave him her Santiago mad face.

"Hey – thanks guys. Thirty bucks" Diaz said loudly and in Gina's direction who pulled a face before continuing to freak Terry out with some lewd comments.

"So did you guys hook up after last night" Charles said desperate for details.

They looked at each other. There was no point in pretending…

"No Charles, for the record we hooked up…" Amy kicked him, "acknowledged our feelings" he gave a look which basically said '_Happy_' before continuing "last week. We just had our second date the night you showed up actually" he said with emphasis hoping Charles would feel guilty now.

"Oh – sorry Jake" Charles said realising his mistake. "I only came over because…" he glanced at Diaz, "I'll tell you later". He changed the subject, "So the first date was just last week – you're not counting the bet?"

"Trust me Charles we have been over this _at length_" Jake said.

"Why not – it was a date" Charles said.

"That's what I said" Jake said looking at Amy with his puppy eyes.

"I mean you were clearly already crazy about her"

"Exac..wait what?" Jake said.

"You were clearly already crazy about her" Charles said. "No one puts that much effort into a date just for a joke"

Amy gave Jake a triumphant look.

"I, well, have you been on those drugs again" he said crossing his arms and looking defensive.

Diaz rolled her eyes. "Don't bother Peralta – you suck at lying" she said as she hopped off the desk and went into the break room, Charles automatically trailing behind her.

Amy took a step closer to him. "So the bet was over a month ago" she said significantly.

"Yeah"

"So that means you've been crazy about me for, oh, how long now?" she said teasingly tugging at his still crossed arms.

He let out a sigh. "For far too long". He looked around before sweetly kissing her. Gina clapped behind them and Amy's face went red again. "And for the record the real thing is better than anything I imagined" he said quietly before walking over to his desk and saying loudly "For the record she threw herself at me"

He ducked as a crumpled up piece of paper flew past his ear.

"Sarg, sarg, Amy just attacked me" he said his arms waving about trying to find something to throw back in retaliation.

"Don't make me come out there" Holt said loudly, still in his office trying to read the report.


	10. Chapter 10

**_In response to a guest review who asked to see Jake have dinner with his mom. Enjoy._**

**Chapter Ten**

Jake pulled the chair out for his mom before taking a seat opposite her. The restaurant they were at was a bit more pretentious than his usual tastes but he knew his mother would like an excuse to dress up.

He picked up the menu and automatically scanned it for the cheapest option, not really caring what it was, nodding as his mother deliberated what to order, while his mind was far away with Amy. They'd hardly seen each other all day as they'd each been working separate cases.

"Jake?" his mom said loudly cutting though his thoughts.

"Yep" he said looking up from the menu.

"The waiter asked what you wanted to order"

He could've blushed. How had he gotten so wrapped up in her? They'd only been dating now for two weeks. And yet she'd somehow taken up residence in his head full time. They tried to keep professional when they were at work, though they did slip on occasion. But outside of the precinct they had become inseparable.

"Jake – do you want to talk to me about something?" his mom said gently, putting her hand over his now the waiter had gone.

"I'm fine – let's focus on you. How does it feel to be twenty-one?" he said, knowing how much she loved him for that.

"You realise I've known you your whole life – enough to be able to tell apart your average daydreaming and when you're actually thinking about something important" she said with a smile. It was true. He was that much of a momma's boy.

"It's nothing, I'm just thinking about someone from work" he said, not lying but hoping she'd think he meant a suspect or his boss.

"Amy?"

He almost fell off his chair.

"How'd you know that?" he said his surprise colouring his voice.

"I don't think you realise how much you talk about her sometimes" she said with a laugh. "So has something finally happened?"

"We started dating – only two weeks now, don't start planning the wedding or anything"

"Hmm, if you'd have asked I'd have thought you'd been seeing each other longer"

"Why?

"It's changed you – you have a look about you"

He laughed.

"It's true – I hardly recognise you" she said pointing at him. "You'll have to bring her over I'd like to meet the woman who's made my son so happy"

"Fine mom if it makes you happy" he said rolling his eyes.

"I'm serious"

"Me too" he said putting his pinkie finger across to her.

Across town Amy allowed Bryce to pull out her chair for her. He'd gotten them a table at the back of the restaurant far away from the sparse Thursday night crowd.

She looked up from the table when she heard his chair scrape back and was greeted by a warm and familiar smile as he sat down.

"You know I can hardly believe you agreed to this"

"Me either" she said and picked up the menu.

She felt his eyes brush over the blue cocktail dress she wore and up to her face which was covered in the make-up she hardly ever used. Amy told herself that she had put in the effort for the classy restaurant not for Bryce.

He hoped that the conversation would move past its interrogative phase as his mother pushed for every piece of information he could humanly give about Amy Santiago.

He automatically looked up as the door opened and barely registered a woman and man enter as his mother distracted him with yet another question. He pushed his empty plate away, his mother having finished a while ago while he'd been slowed down by being forced to talk so much.

"What's her favourite food?"

"Oh mom she'll eat anything let's not get too worked up about this"

She put her hands up to wave him off as if he were the odd one. "I'm just trying to be thorough"

"Mom the only way you could be more thorough is to ask which brand of toilet paper she prefers"

She sighed and said "Fine – but it pays off to be observant. Women want a man who knows what they want"

"Don't worry. I know _quite_ a few things to keep her happy" he said with a deceptive smile which didn't fool his mother at all he realised as she kicked him under the table.

"Behave sweetheart"

"I always do mom"

"Here is your bottle of wine sir" the waiter said setting it on the table after he had finished pouring. "Are you ready to order?"

Normally Amy would shy away from pretty much everything on the menu no matter how tasty it sounded – in her mind no steak is worth $45 – but given that Bryce was paying she didn't mind and opted for the crab and lobster ravioli.

Once the waiter had left Bryce leaned across the table and lowered his voice although there was no one around.

"You look stunning"

She took a gulp of her favourite wine which of course Bryce remembered. "Thank you" she said out of _pure_ courtesy.

In the kitchen, through the door right behind them, a waiter dropped a plate.

Like everyone Jake's head snapped up at the sound of a plate smashing and while most people turned back to their conversations within seconds Jake found a reason to keep looking towards the back of the restaurant.

The man and woman he had so casually dismissed earlier was in fact his girlfriend and a tall man he had never met before. He was pretty sure it wasn't one of her brothers – who from her descriptions sounded quite menacing – so he hung onto the hope that it was another more distant relative, given that he bore no resemblance to her, or maybe someone she used to work with.

"Jake?" his mother said sounding quite exasperated that she had lost his concentration again. "I hate to pull the birthday card but a bit of attention would be nice"

Amy hadn't noticed him as she was fully absorbed in conversation with the man opposite her who had just taken her hand. He was slightly reassured by the fact that she was leaned backward but she still didn't pull entirely away.

He was being crazy, it was probably perfectly harmless. And while a good part of him wanted to do nothing more than to stand up and walk over there to interrogate this touchy feely stranger he listened to the logical side of him that knew he could trust Amy. She would probably tell him all about it tomorrow.

He stood up and grabbed his mother's coat.

"Let's go – I thought we could stop somewhere else for dessert. Then you can open your present"

However all the way through eating their cake at a place in his mother's neighbourhood and as she kissed him and shed a tear over his present, contently placing the ring on her finger, his mind was back in the restaurant he had just left trying to alleviate the feeling that Amy wasn't telling him something.

The next morning Jake had placed Amy's favourite breakfast on her desk and sat at his waiting for her to come in.

Without fail she came in right on time and first walked over to Terry's desk to drop off some work. When she saw him her face lit up and she smiled in a way that still left him breathless. As she walked over the smile grew as she saw what he had left her.

Sitting in her chair she said "Yum, thanks. How did it go with your mom last night?"

"Great – she loved the present"

"I knew she would. It was so sweet"

"So" he said slowly, "did you get up to anything last night?"

When she looked up at him her face betrayed no sign of emotion. "No – nothing at all" and she tucked into her food.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

_Eight Years Earlier_

"Come on Amy" Bryce said taking her hand as they ran around a corner the footsteps closing in on them.

"There's two of them, we're even let's end this" Amy said desperate to stop running.

"We're unarmed"

"So are they"

"You don't know that"

"They left their guns on the table when we came in, they're unarmed, trust me" she said squeezing his hand.

They came to another corner, it was the perfect place to ambush their followers.

Bryce glanced into Amy's eyes before focusing back on the pavement. "Okay, I trust you"

Together they dived around the corner and flattened themselves against the wall. The two men did not expect them to be standing there, giving Amy and Bryce the advantage. Amy quickly dropped one suspect but Bryce got locked into a full tussle with the larger of the two. Amy quickly handcuffed her perp and as she turned to help Bryce she saw him successfully pin and restrain him.

"Do you wanna call it in?" he asked. "I'll stay here. I don't think I should have too much trouble with them now"

She smiled at her partner. "Okay – I'll be right back" and ran off to call in her first arrest.

_Twenty-Four Hours Earlier_

Jake had just left her apartment to head home after spending the last couple of nights with her. They had finally agreed however that he really needed some new clothes, people at work were starting to laugh.

Amy had just settled down into the couch as her cell phone rang. Pulling it out it came up as an unknown caller but she answered anyway.

"Santiago"

"Amy. I was worried you wouldn't pick up"

She didn't answer. Not because she didn't know who was speaking but because as soon as she heard Bryce's voice her heart just about leaped into her throat.

"Amy?"

"Bryce"

"Yeah" he said followed by a deep laugh. "You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice"

"Why are you –"

"Calling? That's the thing I can't talk about it over the phone. I need to see you. Meet me"

"You think I'd meet you after what happened?"

"Amy – trust me"

She was talking to the man who broke her heart. But after everything he was still her first partner. A man who she regularly put her life in the hands of. Who despite everything she knew she could still trust.

"Where?" she asked.

"What time do you finish work?"

"Five"

"I'll pick you up at seven"

"Where are we going?" she asked impatiently.

"Remember Frances?"

She paused understanding immediately. "Yes"

"Good – I'll see you tonight"

He hung up leaving Amy to only be thankful that Jake was going out with his mom tonight. She couldn't even begin to imagine how he'd react to her seeing her ex.

_Present Day_

At seven o'clock on the dot Bryce knocked on Amy's door. He didn't just walk through like Jake would, he waited until she invited him in and complimented her décor. He knew she chose to decorate like an old lady because it reminded her of her nana's house, who she had practically spent most of her childhood with to escape the testosterone overload at her own home. He helped her put her coat on and held the door open for her.

In the car she finally broached the subject that has so far been ignored because of common courtesy.

"So are you going to tell me exactly what you're doing here?"

"You might want some wine first" he said looking in the rear view mirror before pulling into a lane of traffic.

"What I want is for you to tell me what's going on" she said sternly.

He sighed. She looked over at him and for the first time realised how tired he looked.

"I'm in serious trouble Amy. I need your help"

_Eight Years Ago_

"So what do you want to do to celebrate?" Bryce asked leaning over Amy as she finished off the last of her paperwork.

"Hmm"

He kissed the shell of her ear. "How do you want to celebrate your first arrest?" he repeated in a low voice that made her lose concentration.

She quickly rescanned what she had just written and continued. "Surprise me"

He stood up and walked out the room to make a phone call. She briefly heard him say "Hi Frances" before the door swung shut behind him. She smiled knowing he must be working to get them into the restaurant his sister worked at. It was classy and the food was to die for. Frances had just been promoted to Sous-Chef making it easier for meagre cops like them to get in.

They finally sat down at a table near the kitchen so Frances could come and see them. It was a Saturday night and already busy. Amy had managed to find a black dress at the back of her wardrobe and had even gone against her code and put on more makeup than her usual blush and lip gloss routine. Bryce had already told her that she was beautiful.

She scanned the menu unable to help herself from mentally ridiculing the idea of a steak costing $37. I would have to be damn good steak for Amy to even consider spending that much money.

Frances came out and took their order personally. She had her thick black hair pulled up in a bun, presumably to comply with health and safety sanctions, and wore a black dress shirt tucked into a pencil skirt. She was almost glowing especially when a waiter came over and told her a customer wanted to compliment her cooking.

"Be right back" she said practically bouncing with excitement, Bryce watching his older sister as she left.

"So" he said, "now I've congratulated Frances" he raised his glass, "to Amy. Who will undoubtedly become the greatest police officer in New York history"

"Well" she said coyly, "maybe second best"

He smiled. "How about a compromise – best team?"

"I can toast to that"

_Present Day_

They'd gotten to the restaurant surprisingly fast considering the traffic. Their conversation had been abruptly halted as the waiter guided them to their table and the presence of another waitress forced them to hold off for a while longer.

It was hard being near Bryce after all this time. Not only had he been her first partner. There had been a time when she couldn't imagine not being around him. She'd lighten up at the very sound of his voice or even if he just flashed her a smile. It was almost exactly how she felt when she was around Jake. Back then it would have been inconceivable that she could ever love another man.

She fiddled with the stem of her glass and held her breath until the waitress finally moved away from the table. Amy leaned in only for the waiter to show up with the bottle of wine that Bryce had ordered the moment they came in.

After they placed their order Bryce told her she looked stunning. She was about to tell him to focus when she was interrupted yet again, this time by the sound of a plate smashing. She flinched but didn't turn around, her eyes were trained on Bryce, infuriated by how long it was taking them to get around to the point.

Bryce on the other hand focused on the crowd and didn't talk to her until they were all turned back to their conversations not wanting their attention.

"I don't know how to start" he said.

"Try" she said almost hissing the words out, trying to keep her voice down.

"I came back to New York about a week ago. Frances' husband called me"

"Paul" she recalled. She'd been maid of honour at the wedding. It seemed like another life.

"Yeah – he didn't say anything at first to make me think anything was wrong. He just told me that Frances missed me and suggested I come in to see her. I managed to get some time off and got a flight out two days later" he sighed and Amy could sense he had gotten to the difficult part of the story. "Frances is missing" he said. "Paul thinks someone's taken her"

Amy leaned back in her chair. "Bryce I…have you called the police?"

He took hold of her hand as she tried to compose her face. "I can't do that. That's why I had to be so careful when I called you"

"Have the kidnappers told you not to? Bryce you know you shouldn't follow their demands, the police need to be involved if we're going to…"

"No Amy, you're not listening to me. We haven't heard from anyone at all, that's what's so worrying. I just…I can't call the police because…I think a police officer is involved. If I tell them they'll know"

"Why would you think that?" Amy breathed.

"Do you remember a case we worked on? It involved Carson Lawall?"

"The gang member?" Jake walked unseen out of the door.

"Well I've been hearing rumours that he's moved up in the ranks now. Apparently he overthrew the old boss Thomas McCullers and has taken over. Anyway the gang has a faction in New York and I think they may have a couple of bad cops working with them"

"I'm still not seeing what this have to do with Frances"

"I think he might have taken her for revenge"

She squeezed his hand out of habit.

"Please, Amy. You can't tell _anyone_"


	12. Chapter 12

**_In response to two comments I got I promise in a future instalment Jake will go full Boyle – just as soon as I wrap this little storyline up. _**

**Chapter Twelve**

Amy sat at her desk tapping it rhythmically with her nails. Bryce's words echoed in her head. After he told her about Francis' kidnapping he asked her to use her position to _discreetly_ find out information about Carson Lawall and where he may potentially be staying if he was in New York.

While a part of Amy hoped that Bryce had blown the situation out of the water, suspecting a criminal organisation of taking his sister out of revenge, corrupt cops and oaths of absolute secrecy she couldn't quite help erase the memory of the day they put Lawall behind bars. Bryce had been on the case much longer than she had but everything fell together within a few months of her starting the job. It had been a tough case. Lawall was suspected of being involved in a number of gang related murders however in the end all they were able to arrest him for was minor theft. While he remained smug about his relatively short sentence he still had a vendetta for Bryce. He'd gotten out last year – could he have finally thought of a way to get back at him?

Amy shook her head and looked over at Jake who was stood with Diaz talking over a case they were both working on. While a good part of her wanted to tell him everything, she was aware the more people who knew about the situation, if Bryce was right, the more difficult it would be. It was hard enough as it was the three of them trying to coordinate and meet up. Paul was almost positive he was tailed yesterday.

Seeing Paul was slightly painful. Not because of the obvious distress he was in but because of how being with them both brought back memories of her former life. Her friendships within Bryce's family, the number of times they all hung out together, she had considered Francis almost a sister to her at the time. At the time she thought it would last forever.

Jake would be useful though. He was much better at undercover stuff then she was. She was already in knots thinking about how she was lying to everyone around her – what if it came out that Lawall was up to criminal activity again? What would they say if they found out she knew about a serious crime like this but didn't say anything? The captain would be so disappointed in her.

She stood up to go into the break room in desperate need of some coffee having barely slept last night. She was so wrapped up in trying to decide what to do she didn't even notice Jake follow her.

_Seven Years Earlier_

Amy quickly crammed some work into her bag knowing that Bryce would be downstairs waiting for her. Apparently he had something important to tell her.

She practically skipped down the steps in spite of all the work that had piled up these last two days, most of which she was going to be spending the night doing. And when she saw Bryce leaning by the door she could hardly care that they were meant to be professional at work and pulled him into what was meant to be a quick kiss.

Usually she would have expected him to air on the side of caution too but instead he held her so tightly she could hardly breathe and spun her so that her back pressed firmly against the wall. Her head spun and in the end she was the one who ended the kiss.

"Wow – hi" she said gasping a little and pulled away from him to pick up her bag that had somehow ended up on the floor. Amy breathed a sigh of relief that her sergeant hadn't just seen that.

He didn't answer he just grabbed her by the hand and pulled her outside.

"Bryce?"

"Amy" he said softly and pulled her around a corner into the mouth of an alley. "I don't know what to say"

"Well you have news to tell me right?" she said crossing her arms somehow already knowing it wasn't good.

"I love you"

She smiled relentlessly. "I should hope so" she said with a laugh, "we've only been dating for two years"

"Nearly three" he said. While she waited for him to talk to her he looked down at his hands which he was nervously rubbing together. It was a cold February that year.

_Present_

Jake shut the door before coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. She momentarily stiffened before realising who it was. Amy was amazed at how calm she was able to stay earlier that morning when she lied to him, she was usually such a bad liar – she wondered if he suspected anything, he knew her so well. She was thoroughly scared about what this all might do to her relationship with him.

"Hi" she said.

"Hey" he eventually replied loosening his arms so she could turn to face him but refusing to let her completely go. "So I wanted to talk to you about something"

She made a decision, "Me too"

He sighed. "The guy you were with last night?"

Amy practically felt the colour drain from her face.

"That's what I thought" Jake said starting to unwind his arms from her waist.

She grabbed on to his arm and pulled herself closer to him. "How did you know about that?" she said her voice just above a whisper.

"I saw you using my miraculous superpower of sight" he said sarcastically. "You were at the same restaurant as me and my mom last night. I tried to ask you about it this morning…"

"But I lied to you" she finished and took a deep breath.

Jake could feel himself get angrier even though she hadn't actually confirmed that she was breaking up with him yet. Her lie this morning had already confirmed that she was seeing someone else in his eyes – the real question was why she hadn't just broken up with him yet.

Amy's phone rang and she pulled it out of her pocket.

"Jake, listen to me. I'll tell you everything. I swear" she said desperately.

"Really" he said quite harshly. "Excuse me if I find that hard to believe but it's not like you've been completely open with me so far"

"I – I'm sorry I have to take this" she said and opened her phone while keeping a tight hold on Jake's arm. "What?"

Jake who by this stage was fuming calmed a bit as he saw a flash of fear cross over Amy's face before she hung up.

"Someone I know needs my help" she said and began scanning the room. She ran to a table and picked up a pen and then began looking for some paper. "That's the only reason I lied to you is because she needs me to"

A bit of his anger was replaced with confusion. "What kind of trouble is she in?"

"Right now, in this second, I need you to trust me and help me find out something. I have to go – I'll fill you in when I get back" she found a pen and began to write something down. The only thing that stopped Jake from screaming at her to tell him what was going on was by the expression on her face.

"What are you doing?" Jake asked.

"I'm giving you a name. I need to find something out about him. I've written it all down"

She folded it up and pressed it into his hand and remained close to him. "When I get back – I'll tell you everything, I think you can really help me" she took a deep breath, "he is not going to like this plan at all". Standing on her tiptoes she kissed his unmoving lips. "Don't let anyone know what you're doing, destroy the piece of paper when you're done"

She walked out of the door.

Jake didn't know what to make of it all but nevertheless looked down at the piece of paper he was now holding and quickly scanned it. Carson Lawall. Where had he heard that name before?

Amy got to Paul's place as fast as she could without using a siren.

She found the door open and went in. Paul and Bryce were in the living room waiting for her.

"Have you watched it yet?" she asked. Neither answered Bryce just hit play.

The footage was harrowing. Francis although not hurt, looked exhausted and terrified. She stated her captor's demands without naming anyone. No one else came into the frame either nor made a single sound. The room was dark although it was large and open, almost like a warehouse. They were no closer to confirming Lawall as a suspect.

According to Francis the people who had her wanted Bryce to go down to some building unarmed and unaccompanied. When it was confirmed he was there Francis would be freed.

They all stood for what felt like an age in silence, Amy, and probably Bryce too, trying to think of any way to get around there demands. Paul just sat with his head in his hands.

Amy's phone rang. It wasn't the name she hoped to see but she answered it anyway. "Diaz?"

"Jake told me you're on our case now"

"What?"

"We've just found out were the shipment is going, an old warehouse. Apparently it was purchased a few years ago by a Thomas McCullers but according to our reports he's dead. There was a dispute about who it would go to so it's been boarded up ever since. Me and Jake are going to head down there now"

"McCullers?" she said hardly believing her ears – hardly believing the coincidence. Bryce was by her side within a second.

"Jake says he's already texted you the location – meet you there" and she hung up.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Jake saw their car round the corner. Amy was sat in the passenger seat.

"Who's that?" Diaz asked sitting up in her seat referring to the man driving.

Jake didn't answer – he didn't even know the man's name let alone what he was doing here.

Amy and the man got into the back seat of their car.

"Who the hell is this?" Diaz said first.

Amy, trying to make eye contact with Jake, answered. "Bryce – my old partner." That got his attention.

"And he's here why?" Diaz continued swivelling around in her seat to give the man a deathly glare.

Amy exchanged a look with Bryce who reluctantly filled them in.

"Why do you think Lawall's here?"

"Who?" Diaz asked.

"Me and Diaz are working on a smuggling case – when you told me the guys name…"

Bryce cut him off and looked at Amy. "You told him?"

"Sorry – he's my partner" Amy said not sounding all that sorry.

"And her boyfriend" Jake said sticking his hand out to the guy plastering on a wide smile. "Jake Peralta – nice to meet you"

"Boyfriend?" Bryce asked looking around to her. "Do you date all your partners?"

"Oh that's low" Amy said trying to modulate her voice.

"All?" Jake asked – "You dated him too?"

"Shut up" said Diaz as the tension in the car flared up. She turned to Bryce. "Do you think we'll find this chick in there then?"

"I don't see why not" Jake said begrudgingly not taking his eyes off Bryce. "As I was saying this Lawall guy came up on one of the forms we got at the dock. This place had already been flagged up and when I looked through the owner's records I saw he had previously worked with Lawall – makes sense that he would keep using his areas of operation"

"The video they sent looked like it was filmed in a warehouse, right" Amy said looking at Bryce.

"There was a video?" Jake said. "Did they issue demands?"

"They want me in exchange for her" Bryce answered before Amy could.

"And why would they want that?"

Bryce looked back at Amy. "When I moved I continued looking into the gang, I think I've been getting a bit too close"

"You continued the investigation?" Amy asked. "I didn't even know there was a branch in California"

Diaz interrupted the conversation. "If this is a potential hostage situation we should call for backup"

"No" said Bryce. "It'll draw too much attention"

"Hey, we can manage a few guys" Jake said cockily.

Amy interceded. "That's not what he means guys. It's just – well he thinks the gang may have some cops on their side"

"Do you have proof?" Diaz asked.

"They do in California I see no reason why it wouldn't be the case here"

"Fine" Diaz said. "Let's just call our people in"

"No – they might be corrupt"

"Our precinct isn't corrupt" Jake scoffed. "Most of them can't even solve a simple case let alone be stealthy enough to go behind our backs"

"You can't trust people" Bryce answered. "No matter how well you think you know a person you never know what they're thinking"

Amy wanted to disagree but it was hard when sat right next to a man who proved his very point.

"Amy?" Jake said.

"We can't go in there by ourselves – we might be outnumbered" she said looking at Jake.

"I'm calling them" Diaz said.

Of course the warehouse was empty. And now the whole squad was there to ask Amy about Bryce.

"So how long did you date?"

"Did you follow proper interdepartmental protocol?"

"So how many cops have you banged exactly" – why Gina was there was anyone's guess.

"I hate to interrupt" Bryce said. "But they know we're on to us"

"Do you think they'll revise their demands?" Amy asked.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see. But for now we'll stick to the plan"

"And what plan is that exactly?" Jake asked looking none too pleased about the situation.

"I'm going to go to the address they gave me and Amy's going to tail us to see where they take me"

"And you think they'll just let your sister go" Diaz said sceptically.

"For Francis, I'm willing to risk it" Bryce said finally.

"Fine" Jake said, "but we all go"

They spent the rest of their time mapping out the area where Bryce had been told to go. Diaz and Boyle were going to take a roof, Jake would be around the back and Amy would be at the front where Bryce was expected to go.

Holt was not impressed by Amy's failure to report a crime, not that he said anything explicitly or showed any kind of facial expression. But he told her to go to his office after the stakeout and she knew it wouldn't be good – she'd seen him tell Jake the same thing when he was in serious trouble.

While everyone triple checked the plans Amy followed Jake who had left the briefing room to go back to his desk.

"So on a scale of one to ten how mad are you at me?" Amy asked.

He sighed. "I'm a lot less mad now I know you're not cheating on me"

"That's what you thought?" Amy reflected on the night at the restaurant and realised that it must have seemed that way.

"Yeah"

"I'd never cheat on you"

"Well I didn't think that at the time"

She moved closer to him not caring that they were meant to keep things professional at the precinct. "I would never hurt you like that" she said and kissed the corner of his mouth. He wrapped his arms around her and turned into her lips kissing her full on, not breaking away until he heard Gina make a purring noise behind Amy's back.

He pulled back and jokingly jabbed her in the stomach. "I'm still mad though – and it's going to take a _lot_ of sex to gain my forgiveness"

She nodded in all seriousness, "Noted" before smiling and quickly kissing him again.

After Diaz and Boyle left their group to take their position on the roof Amy, Jake and Bryce stayed in the car waiting for them to call and tell them they were clear to move in to position.

Jake turned to her. "So how long did you two date exactly?"

Amy who had been using a pair of binoculars to survey the entrance was completely thrown but before she could answer Bryce said, "Three years"

"Only just three years. We broke up around that time" she said defensively.

"Wow – I can't believe you never told any of us. We all thought you'd never gotten past a first date" she punched his shoulder. "Ow, okay, okay"

Diaz called and Jake slipped out of the car to head around back.

Bryce cleared his throat.

"So you and Peralta" he asked cautiously. "How long?"

"Two weeks" she said – it felt much longer with everything that had happened since.

"Oh, okay" he said strangely sounding relieved. "Nothing too serious then"

"We're dating"

"I know"

"We are dating Bryce" she said and looked at him. "You don't get to abandon me for seven years then come back and criticise my relationship"

"I wasn't trying to…"

"Yes you are. You keep trying to one up him. I saw you try all afternoon while we were planning this out – it's ridiculous"

"Okay, well, maybe…"

"You left _me_. It's over"

"I love you"

She stopped. "And I love you"

Bryce inclined towards her.

"You were my first love, I can't ignore that. And I don't think I'll ever get over you, not fully. But you broke my heart and I can never forgive you. I'm here for Francis not for you" she said clearly. "I'm dating Jake and that is final"

Boyle called and told her to move in to position.


	14. Chapter 14

**_Sorry this is quite short – I've had a mind numbing couple of days. I'll try and write something longer tomorrow :) How are you finding the Bryce character by the way – is he causing enough intrigue or do you all hate him?_**

**Chapter Fourteen**

Jake tried to force the locked door. A gunshot had just rung out from inside the warehouse. Boyle came in over the line.

"Jake, what's going on. We thought we heard gunfire?"

"One shot from inside – I'm trying to get in"

"Go around the front, its clear"

"Is Amy still there?"

He heard the murmur of a conversation between Diaz and Boyle. Diaz ultimately answered.

"We've lost visual and she's not answering"

He slammed his weight into the metal door which refused to budge. Jake turned to go around front when he heard the door unlock. He aimed his gun at the door. It swung open to reveal three men all armed. He lowered his weapon, knowing when he was outmatched. The man who stood centre reached forward and pulled the wire from Jake's ear and smashed the device under his foot.

The other two took Jake roughly and pulled him into the building taking his weapon from him as they walked.

Bryce was sat against a wall trying to slow his breath looking up at a man who stood with his back to Jake and whom he could only presume was Lawall.

Amy was nowhere in sight.

The men threw Jake down next to Bryce and he pulled himself up to sit next to him. Lawall had a smug expression and had eyes only for Bryce looking at him with deep contempt.

The front door opened and Diaz and Boyle were led in and put down next to Jake.

Jake gave Boyle a look which said '_What happened man?_'

Boyle just looked grim.

Diaz mouthed '_They knew we were here_'.

"Looks like the gang is back together" Lawall said in a rough voice.

"Let them go Carson – you have what you wanted, you don't have to kill anyone else"

Lawall looked down at the three of them. "Perhaps. But they've seen my face. That's a problem. But if it's any consolation I will free your sister – I gave you my word"

Bryce looked over Lawall's shoulder and dipped his head.

"Kill them" Lawall said nonchalantly to the men behind them who raised their guns.

Jake flinched at the sound of gun fire which came from the side of the room. Before he knew what happened Bryce leapt onto his feet and punched the nearest goon in the throat and grabbed his gun from him. Amy emptied her clip in order to create a diversion before running up to another man and engaging him. Bryce successfully rendered the man unconscious before turning a gun on Lawall.

Diaz and Boyle, taking their lead, pounced on the third man together. Jake struggled to his feet.

Amy was still fighting and was momentarily thrown back by a jab in the stomach. Bryce turned to aid her and Lawall started to move, aiming himself towards a stack of crates behind which he could take cover – still in possession of his gun. Jake, without thinking, ran and tackled him around the legs knocking him over and heard the sound of his head bashing against the floor.

Amy, not needing help, doubled back from the move and smacked the man with the butt of the gun.

Sirens sounded from outside the building and within seconds cops were coming in through the front and back doors led by Holt and Jeffords.

He briefly heard Bryce say, "God I've missed this" before he helped one of the cops drag Lawall away.

Bryce took a call from Paul who said that Francis had been dropped off at the house, shaken but otherwise unhurt. The police were able to catch the driver as he left and had taken him in for questioning.

The warehouse had contained a number of incriminating documents that would send Lawall and other members of his gang away for a very long time – much longer than Bryce had achieved with the minor theft charge eight years ago.

Jake along with Diaz and Boyle were processing it all now as officially it had all happened on Jake and Diaz's case – though Holt still called in Amy and then Bryce to talk about what had happened and more importantly why it hadn't been reported.

While Jake didn't hear anything that happened everything seemed to be resolved relatively easy and from what he gathered Amy wasn't going to be in any kind of trouble. Even with the outcome that seemed surprising to him given Holt's affinity for the rules.

"I reckon he has '_connections'_" Diaz said significantly.

"Yeah – did you ever find out why they broke up?" Boyle asked.

"No – we haven't really had much of a chance to talk about it" Jake said running his hand through his hair and wondered if they actually needed to. Now he'd found out she hadn't actually cheated on him he felt pretty relieved.

"Must have been a good team" Diaz said offhandedly.

"What?"

"I've been thinking. They must have been signalling each other before she started firing – did you see him nod?"

"No" said Boyle, "I was focused on the gun pointing at my head"

"Yeah well – Bryce was in there before us, she probably followed him in and they made the plan then" Jake said, still not feeling better that she made a plan with Bryce and not him. He stood up to go to his desk.

Amy wasn't there and he couldn't see her in Holt's office either. He wondered if they were fighting – given she'd lied to him. He didn't feel particularly angry but maybe Amy thought he was. Maybe she was avoiding him.

If he'd gone outside the office and down the stairs he would have found that she wasn't hiding from him. She was reminiscing her old cases with Bryce, talking about how good a team they were. And then with seven years of regret and heartache he was kissing her.


	15. Chapter 15

**I****_ realise I need to change the title – any suggestion would be well received. I was thinking of just changing it to JakeAmy B99 but that may be a bit dull! I wrote an extra long piece today to make up for not writing one on Monday and only a short one yesterday. Thank you for all your reviews and likes, you have no idea how touched I am that so many of you read this, it's really motivating. Sorry so many of you hate Bryce, I just hope you understand Amy's conflict. Plus if I make her relationship with Jake too easy I'll run out of stuff to write! _**

**Chapter Fifteen**

Amy pulled back. "Bryce"

"Amy" he tucked her hair behind her ear.

"We can't do this"

"Why not?"

"I – I have a boyfriend"

"I know"

"You left me"

"I know – now I'm asking you to come with me"

"What?"

"Come with me. We're a great team, we can work together again. I have a lot of pull in the agency I'll get you a job. And we can be together"

"You want me to leave New York?" she said in disbelief.

"I should have asked you to come with me last time" Last time she would have said yes in a heartbeat.

"Why didn't you?"

He sighed. "I asked them if you could come. When they recruited me. But they said no"

"It didn't stop you taking the job"

"How could I? Amy I'm making a difference. And if you come with me we both can – together. Don't worry about quitting or moving, don't even pack a bag. All you have to do is say yes – I'll take care of the rest"

She opened her mouth to speak.

"You don't have to answer now – I'll be here for another week to be with Francis. Just think about it"

A loud bang came from upstairs. Looking at each other they both ran towards the sound, pausing at the doors and drawing their guns. They swung them open and went in guns raised.

Jake stood around a crowd of people holding a bottle of champagne which he had just popped. The whole room turned to stare at them.

Jake laughed although to Amy's ears it sounded a bit forced. "Sorry – didn't mean to scare you. Champagne?" he said raising a glass.

Bryce and Amy looked at each other eyebrows raised. It didn't sound like a cork popping but they shrugged it off and went towards the impromptu party.

After a few minutes of congratulations for the arrest Amy was able to catch Jake on his own. "Where'd you get the champagne from?" she asked nervously, knowing she needed to tell him what had just happened.

"I had some in the fridge"

"Why?" she said surprised.

"No reason" he said looking down at his feet. "So what were you and Bryce talking about out there?"

She took a breath.

"That bad huh?"

"Well we _were_ talking about some of our old cases"

"And?"

"Then he asked me to move to California"

Jake looked up incredulous. "You're not serious"

"He wants me to work with him"

"_Just_ work with him?" Jake said suspiciously.

"No"

"So he knows you're dating me but he still asks you out. Smooth guy"

"Jake"

"Three years – that's what you said right?"

"What?"

"You dated for _three_ years"

"Just about"

He sighed. "Sure beats two weeks. Knew I should have asked you out sooner"

"_Jake_" Amy said. "It's hardly a competition"

He put his hand on top of hers. "Yes it is"

"We've been broken up for seven years now"

"You're still close"

"We haven't spoken in _seven years_"

"At the warehouse you had a plan that you didn't tell me"

"There was no plan"

"Bryce knew you were going to shoot"

"We didn't plan that"

"Then what happened?"

"Bryce went in and a shot went off. Apparently Lawall did it to try and scare him – fired near his head. I heard the shot and snuck in while everyone was distracted and hid behind some crates. They took Bryce's gun away and while they were discussing something – I guess they knew he'd have backup – I moved to let Bryce see me"

"You couldn't have talked – they would have heard you"

"We worked together for a while I knew what needed to be done. Bryce knew that I couldn't take all of them but with a distraction we could together. We didn't even know that you had heard the shot. Then there was some weird banging from the back"

"I was trying to break the door down"

"Oh. Anyway while three of them went to you Lawall was talking to Bryce which gave me an opportunity to move into a better position. Then I saw them bring you in – I just thought they must have spotted you when they went outside. Then they went and got Boyle and Diaz – Diaz told me they came to the front of the building after they lost contact with you"

"And with you"

"I could hear them but I couldn't talk without giving my position away"

"And the rest I know" They sat for a minute in silence. "So what did you say when he asked you to go with him?"

"Nothing. He asked me to think about it"

"And?"

The conversation was interrupted by yet another loud bang. Bryce had his hand on his gun in a second. The noise came from the back near the holding cells. Amy grabbed Jake by the arm and pulled him down behind the desk and fumbled for her gun as shots raced past their heads.

Everyone else was scattered about the room, many of them caught off guard and without their weapons, including Jake although it was only a second away, if only he could get past whoever was shooting.

"Amy – I need my gun. Cover me"

"No Jake wait" Amy said but he had already started towards his desk and would expose himself when he went to get the gun out of the draw. He heard Amy start shooting, drawing their fire. He successfully grabbed his gun and started back to her noticing a few drops of blood on the floor as he went, hoping it wasn't one of theirs who'd been hit.

"It's Lawall – Bryce must have been right, there must be some cops on his side for him to get out"

"There were lots of people here from different units – he's been connected to a lot of cases it could be anyone"

"Why don't you all put your weapons down" came Lawall's voice.

They peeped over the edges of their desk and saw Lawall, his men holding Boyle and Gina. "No one will get hurt if you all surrender"

They both ducked back behind the desk and looked at each other.

"We need to surrender"

"_What_" Jake said in a whisper "We can take them"

"No we can't. Apart from us Bryce is the only one armed. There are four men and whoever else is working with them"

"So we just let ourselves be shot"

"I don't think he'll kill us all – he'll probably just lock us in the cells. He'll only want Bryce at this point and then he's going to want to get out of here fast. He won't have time to kill us all"

"If we're all in the cells then we won't be able to track him" Jake said looking at her gently.

"Yes we will" said Amy. "I need a distraction so I can hide. If I can get away then as soon as they leave I can unlock you all and then we can go after Bryce. There's an empty cabinet over there I can fit in"

Jake looked over at it, the route to it was mainly obscured by desks, he would just need to distract them so she could open the door to get in.

"Okay" he said. "Signal me once you're ready"

She set off.

"Why should we trust you?" Jake said loudly at Lawall. He could almost picture the guns pointing in his direction.

"You're outgunned you don't have a choice"

"Maybe – but at least this way I take a few of you down with me"

Amy reached the cupboard. He motioned at her to wait.

"And take your colleagues with you" Lawall laughed at the silence. "That's what I thought. Cops are so sentimental. Come out and no one dies"

Jake gave Amy a thumbs up. He stood up and slowly put his gun on the desk, everyone watching him as he did. One of the men strode forward and grabbed him and pulled him over with the others.

Bryce must have realised that Amy wasn't with him anymore and that a plan must have been formed. He similarly stood up, though even when he was unarmed they seemed much more cautious around him than Jake, only relaxing when they had him restrained.

They were led into the back and put in the holding cells before Lawall escorted Bryce out of the building.

As soon as they were out of earshot Terry asked "Where's Amy?"

Jake filled them in on everything they had discussed. Everyone was silent for a moment.

"I hate to interrupt" Gina said, "but we've been here for a while – where is she?"

He felt his stomach fill with dread as he realised she was right. Had she been spotted?

After a few more minutes they heard doors open out in the office space and soon armed police officers came in. Their sergeant came behind them and told them that one of their officers, presumably Amy who must have gone right after Bryce, called and told them about the shooting and locked up cops.

Her gun and a few extra rounds were missing.

Jake felt his phone vibrate.

_Sorry couldn't wait had 2 follow. Don't know address attach pic of building. Bring back up, S_

Everyone gathered around the image and Diaz recognised it as an apartment block. Even Terry grabbed a gun. Thankfully they convinced Gina to stay behind and brief the other team about what had happened.

Amy peered around the hallway corner and saw Bryce getting led into a room. She quickly texted Jake the floor and apartment number having to momentarily lower her gun to do so. When she looked back around only one man stood guard outside the door. By now it was quite late in the evening and Amy quickly formulated an idea.

Tousling her hair and slinging off her jacket she undid the first three buttons of her blouse and took one of her shoes off and staggered around the corner feigning drunkenness.

She smiled at the man. "Hi – I can't remember where I live" she said laughing the words out. "My ankle hurts" she said and waved her shoe in his face.

Thankfully the man bought her story and lowered to look at her foot and she promptly kicked him in the face knocking him out – hoping that no one inside heard. She dragged him with difficulty around the corner and restrained him with handcuffs, using her jacket to make a gag. Hopefully Jake would be here soon to remove him – she didn't want any neighbour to call the police, who knew which cops were involved. As she was wearing a slight heel she slipped them off but redid the buttons on her blouse.

She pressed her ear to the door and heard nothing. Cautiously she tried the handle and found it was unlocked. Easing herself into the apartment she found the room empty but noise coming from the back which she eagerly followed forgetting to be vigilant.

Everything went black.

When she came around she was tied up next to Bryce. From the pounding of her head she must have been hit from behind. So much for the rescue plan.

"Hey – you okay" Bryce asked gently.

"Apart from my head" she answered and looked around the room to see they were alone.

"They're right outside sweetie" and he jerked his head towards a camera in the corner which presumably had audio.

Sweetie was an old code. It basically meant '_there's a plan right?_'

She nodded.

"Guess we better just hang tight then"

"How long was I out?"

"Only a few minutes"

She leant back against the wall. "Did you ever talk to Francis?"

"Only briefly – she was pretty tired. Paul took her to the hospital to get checked out, I think he was going to have her stay there overnight" he paused. "You'll have to come over this week – I'm sure she'll want to thank you. For helping find her"

"Couldn't have done it without Jake"

"True…I'll admit he is a good detective. His finances are a mess though"

She turned to glare at him. "You did a background check?"

"Of course"

"When?"

"As soon as you were partnered with him"

She couldn't help but smile a little. "You checked up on me"

"Sorry"

She sighed. "Oh, it's kinda sweet. A little stalker-ish but I'll let that slide"

"I couldn't have done this without you know"

The door opened and Lawall and one other guy came in.

"Ah, I see your company is awake" he said and sat on the only chair in the room. There were no windows and the space had clearly been gutted out to act as a makeshift cell. "What are you doing here?" he asked Amy. "I saw you at the warehouse before. How did you know we were here?"

"I was in the bathroom when the shots went off. I followed you"

"Is anyone else with you?"

"No"

"Well we'll see. I have men all over this building" he said sounding as calm as he looked. "In the meantime I have to borrow Bryce for a little while – old friends" he said smiling at Amy as his guard picked Bryce up by his arm and led him from the room.

She could hear nothing outside the room, it must have been soundproofed.

After about ten minutes, by which point she was convinced Jake must have figured out the address and made his way over there, hopefully with a _lot_ of back up behind him if Lawall's claims were in any way true, the door swung open and a guard came in to take her to another room.

Bryce lay on the floor clutching his side.

"It looks like your friend wants a word" Lawall said and left the room cleaning the blood off his knife as he went.

"No no no, Bryce" Amy said and bent down to apply pressure to the wound. He looked pale and struggled to keep his eyes open.

"Amy"

"I'm right here. You're going to be okay"

"Amy – I love you"

She looked at the growing pool of blood. "I love you too" his eyes drooped. She took his face in her hands. "Bryce, listen to me, I love you. I'll go with you to California – just stay awake" and she swiftly kissed him doing everything in her power to try and keep him awake and alive.

Two guards came in. One pulled her away and the other pulled Bryce out of the room.

"No – don't you touch him" she screamed. "Bryce!"

She heard a crash as the front door was kicked off its hinges.

_**And yes sweetie is a Doctor Who reference. Maybe the code word should have been spoilers! I'm a little torn now whether to have Bryce die and Amy grieve a little or have him 'disappear' and maybe reappear at a later date when I'm running dry on ideas :) Thanks for reading!**_


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

The guard reacted much quicker than her. Out in the hall she heard a man say "Quick, get him to the roof". Dropping his arm from around her waist the guard ran. The door was left wide open behind him but Amy stared transfixed at the pool of blood on the floor.

"Clear"

"Clear"

The sounds grew closer to her. Her hands were still bound behind her back. She sunk down to the ground staying in view of the doorway.

Terry was the first person to come into view. "I have Santiago" he said and ran to her, cutting her free. She seemed to have this feeling that he was asking her a question and she felt him run a hand over her face but she still stared at the blood.

A couple of uniformed officers came in to tell him something, she didn't really hear it, everything was just a murmur. She closed her eyes and gave herself a minute. Amy focused on her breathing. In and out. Slowly. Calm.

Her eyes snapped open and she stood. "They said they were heading to the roof" her voice still sounding far away to her own ears.

"Holt says they've cleared the roof. Lawall tried to leave by a helicopter but we stopped him. Amy sit back down"

She dodged his hands. "Did they have Bryce's body?"

Terry jerked his head back. "Body. He's dead?"

"He wasn't there?" She didn't even wait for a response but head out of the door. Maybe they got interrupted moving his body when everyone came in, maybe he was in another room. She was aware she passed some of her colleagues. She'd forgotten she was covered in blood. She passed room by room finding no sign of him at all. Not so much as a drop of blood on the floor. Hardly any trace that he had been here at all.

A voice cut through the thoughts swirling in her head.

"Amy?" Jake said approaching her cautiously.

"Jake" she said with a sigh of relief and strode into his arms, a part of her sanity coming back as he pulled her in close and stroked the back of her head. She leaned her face into his shoulder and breathed him in. She knew he'd find her.

"I came to the room Terry said you were in but you'd gone"

"Mmm"

"Come on – let's get back to the entry. Holt's in there – I'm sure he'll want to know you're okay"

She let him guide her through the large apartment.

Diaz was the first person she saw and she wordlessly handed Amy her shoes. Up until that moment Amy had completely forgotten she was barefoot. When she did she also realised how cold she had gotten now that her adrenaline had gone.

"Detective Santiago" Holt said. Amy thought there might have been an edge of relief to his voice. "Where is your – former partner?"

Amy felt Jake stiffen a little beside her. "I don't know sir. We were split up and when they took me to him he'd been stabbed. He lost a lot of blood – I thought they'd taken his _body_" the word felt wrong in her mouth "with them. But Terry said he wasn't in the helicopter and I couldn't find him anywhere else"

"Boyle, Scully, Hitchcock, Diaz – sweep the apartment and the rest of the floor and see if you can find him. Peralta, take Santiago back to the precinct and get a written statement. You can both have the rest of the day off" he said and turned to Terry to discuss something.

Jake pulled Amy from the room.

He let her stare out of the window on the drive there. And when they got to the precinct she wrote the statement herself. He leaned over her shoulder every now and then to read it. She didn't mind. He put his jacket over her shoulders and she nestled herself into it, glad for the warmth.

"I'll take you home" he eventually said. The precinct was still empty and it was now morning.

This journey again passed in a blur, everything only really coming into focus as they reached the door of her apartment. Jake reached into her purse and grabbed the key and led her inside to the couch. They sat in silence.

"Okay Amy – I can't take this anymore talk to me or – something" he said gesturing around them. "Bryce might be dead, you must be feeling something"

"Yes"

He took her face in his hand and looked her in the eye. "What do you feel?"

"Sad. Useless. Confused" she said slowly. While she hadn't spoken to Bryce for so long he'd been such an important part of her life, and in the end she hadn't been able to do anything to save him. She shut her eyes again and leaned back into the couch.

She felt Jake get up. A few minutes later something wet rubbed against her face and her eyes jerked open, she flinched away.

"Easy" he said. "I'm just wiping the blood away" and gently continued. For the first time she really noticed the blood on her hands. She leant forward and placed them in the bowl of water Jake had brought through and began to rub it off. She started off methodically at first but soon got irritated at how it clung to her skin and almost knocked the bowl over.

Jake grabbed her around the shoulders and pulled her to him as she broke down just telling her that she would be okay.

Jake rocked Amy against his side as he stretched his legs out on the couch. She had fallen asleep on his chest a short while ago.

He tried to move gently but the movement disturbed her light sleep and she moved against his side. "Jake?"

"Sorry baby I didn't mean to wake you"

"What time is it?"

"Nearly five – I'll order us some dinner if you want?"

"Okay"

He got up and walked over to her phone. The guy said the food would be here in around half an hour.

Amy was in the kitchen tipping the red water down the drain. She set the bowl down on the counter and faced him.

"Thank you for staying with me. I really appreciate it"

"Amy – can I ask you something?"

"Sure" she said meekly, rubbing her eyes, looking thoroughly exhausted.

"Your report said they took you to Bryce. Did you talk to him, before…" he trailed off.

"Yes" her voice unfathomable.

"What did you say?" he asked shyly.

"I told him I loved him. That I'd go with him"

He closed his eyes and tried to keep a passive face.

"He'd lost a lot of blood. I was certain he was going to die"

He nodded.

"It seemed like the kind thing to do"

He looked up and took a step closer to her. "You mean you weren't actually going to go with him?"

She caught a strand of her hair and played with it. "No"

"You were going to stay with me?"

"I _am_ going to stay with you – unless you don't want me to?"

He pulled her in to a bear hug and felt her weakly hug him back.

_**I know a few of you were all for Bryce dying and Amy not caring in the slightest but even if she didn't care about him he still died in front of her - didn't particularly want her to shrug it off like it was nothing...**_


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

Amy squirmed in the tight hug.

"It was so good of you to come" Francis said. "I think Bryce would have been happy to have you here, even if you two…drifted over the years"

"Thanks for everything" her husband Paul added. "We wouldn't have been able to find Francis without you"

"I was just doing my job"

Francis sighed. "You did much more than that" she took Amy's hand. "I've missed this. You should come over more often, you live so close"

"I'd like that" Amy said gently and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Thank you for having me" she said, receiving another quick hug from Francis before walking out of the door and back to her car.

Bryce had been gone for two weeks now. Still no sign of his body. Francis had just held a memorial service which Amy had been invited to. Another team were investigating Bryce's disappearance – without a body he couldn't be declared officially dead and in a way that stopped Amy from fully feeling like he was gone. She had hoped the service would help that, like it seemed to help Francis. Something still felt strange.

Her phone vibrated and she saw Diaz's number come up on the screen.

"Captain wants us all in now" she hung up.

Amy took a deep sigh and drove to the precinct not bothering to change.

As she walked into the briefing room she felt all the eyes wash over her and hastily look away. Her outfit positively screamed funeral. She wore a simple black dress and a thick long coat over the top. She wore her hair down, she hadn't the energy to tie it up as usual. She knew she had bags under her eyes. The last few weeks had been filled with sleepless nights. Luckily Jake had been there every time she woke up in a cold sweat.

"Santiago" Holt said from the front of the room. "Just in time. We have a new case. There was a homicide last night, a man named Robert Wells. We found three kilos of cocaine in his apartment, so far we have no leads."

Terry turned in his seat to face the rest of the room. "We're still waiting for the autopsy reports but we think he might have been poisoned."

"Any gang links?" Boyle asked.

"Drug squad have no record of him" Terry answered, "and we couldn't find any evidence that he was involved in a gang."

"Why would someone poison a guy and not take all that cocaine?" Jake asked. "Poison indicates premeditation. There must be another motive." He resumed looking at Amy who had taken a seat at the back of the room.

"Diaz, Peralta, Boyle" Holt said, "Go to the apartment and see if you can find anything the forensic team might have missed. After that you can canvass the building."

They got up and left the room, Jake rubbing her shoulder as he passed. Terry turned to assess Santiago again. "Santiago, why don't you go through the evidence already collected by the forensic team, you might be able to find something."

She sighed. "Sergeant, I don't need you to baby me. I'm perfectly capable of working as usual, I don't need to be back benched."

"I'm not…"

"Detective Santiago is right. You can accompany Peralta to the crime scene." Holt interjected.

Amy turned out of the room to find Jake and the others lingering by the door.

"Took you long enough – let's go." Jake said and walked out of the room.

He pulled her aside while they were at the crime scene. Diaz was in the bedroom and Boyle searching the bathroom. Amy and Jake stood in the kitchen.

"How'd it go?"

"Fine."

He searched her eyes. "Okay."

They started to rifle through the cupboards. "Money?" Jake said.

"What?"

"I'm trying to think of a motive – money?"

"His finances were fine and he hadn't had any large payments in or expenditures out of his account so it's not likely."

"Jealousy?"

"Single – he was subscribed to an online dating site."

"Addict?"

"The forensic team said they found no sign that the cocaine had been opened or that Wells was taking any drugs."

"Then why did he have three kilos of coke in his front room?" Jake said rubbing his forehead. "This case makes no sense."

"We'll solve it." Amy said confidently. "After all" she said turning to give him a grin "we are the best detectives in the city."

He smiled back. "Did you just acknowledge that I'm a genius? I never thought I'd see the day Santiago."

"Bedroom's clean." Diaz said silently creeping up on them. "Find anything?"

"No." Amy said closing another cupboard. "Apart from the cocaine it seems like any other apartment."

Boyle came through more audibly. "Nothing in the bathroom. Not even on any meds."

Diaz shrugged. "Maybe the autopsy report will show something."

"Come on let's get out of here" Jake said.

Jake threw a sandwich on Amy's desk. "Eat" he said pointing at it as her startled eyes met his. He watched her through the corner of his eye pull it towards her and lightly sniff it as he scanned the medical report. They'd found out he'd been poisoned but it wasn't a particularly hard poison to get a hold of and wouldn't help them track their killer.

Amy had gotten changed an hour ago but she still looked gloomy. He knew she wanted on the investigation into Bryce but Holt had forbidden it. As his ex-partner he'd been concerned that she wouldn't be able to stay impartial and Jake couldn't help but agree. She'd been pretty willing to lie to him because Bryce asked her to, if anything unfavourable was uncovered how could Holt be expected to trust her to make sure the truth was found? Considering she hadn't reported a crime and had left them all locked up in a jail cell he was quite surprised by how easy Holt had gone on her.

Boyle walked up to the desk. "Me and Rosa are going to interview the victim's parents. I'll call if we find anything."

"Okay." Jake said struggling the urge to go along. He still found it hard to rely on the team sometimes, he hated missing the opportunity to show off.

Amy leaned back in her chair and gave him a mischievous grin. "Wow you're _not_ going? Hmm, maybe you will make a good secondary after all." her voice getting a little sultry to Jake's ears.

"Baby" he said leaning in "If you were my primary I'd do anything you tell me." he said and gave her a wink.

Holt cleared his throat behind them. Of course.

"Is there any progress with the case?"

Jake internally groaned as Amy who blushed furiously started to stammer out an answer. "No, no, we, er, well we got an, _the_, autopsy report, but, it, well it…"

He decided to rescue her. "It showed he was poisoned but nothing special we could trace. Diaz and Boyle have gone to interview the victim's parents, I'm just going through the medical report to see if there's anything else important and Santiago is going through his financial information"

"Good work." Holt said and turned to go into his office.

'Thank you.' Amy mouthed.

"You can make it up to me later." he said in a whisper and with a satisfied smile saw her blush a little more.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

Holt called Amy into his office.

"How's the Wells case progressing?"

"Boyle and Peralta have just gone out to speak to some of the victim's friends while I work with Diaz to go through the buildings security footage."

"Is there any motive yet?"

"His parents suggested that he may have become friends with some _bad seeds_ – that's how they put it. If it's true it may explain how he ended up with the cocaine"

"Alright – keep me up to date."

Amy went straight to Diaz's desk. "Anything?"

"Since you last asked me? No."

Amy sighed. "Are there any more tapes you want me to look through?"

Diaz pointed to a tall stack of tapes next to the monitor.

"Great – I'll get on it" Amy said and took half of the pile with her. Flopping herself down in her chair she wished she'd gone to interview the victim's friends with Jake and Charles, she was going out of her mind at her desk. Terry was still babying her and it was getting exhausting. Every time some work came up that was outside the office he would send someone else. She knew she'd been kidnapped and experienced a 'trauma' but doing nothing wouldn't exactly help that. She needed to solve this case if she was going to prove to Terry that she could do her job. She needed to prove to Holt that she could be trusted again.

"Hey Diaz." she heard Terry call. "Can you come take a statement from this witness." He beckoned her over.

Any disappointment she felt at first was quickly forgotten as the footage she watched showed one of the victim's 'friends' walking down the corridor about an hour before the victim died – potentially giving them enough time to administer the poison.

She quickly sifted through the documents on her desk and pulled up the person's file. It was one of the people Jake and Charles were going to interview. She pulled out her phone and dialled Boyle, knowing he was always quicker to answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey Boyle are you at John Balme's apartment yet?"

"No he's the next person on our list"

"Who's on the phone?" she heard Jake ask in the background.

"Amy"

"What does she want?"

"I don't know she hasn't told me yet."

"Ask her."

"I checked out one of the surveillance tapes which shows that Balme was at the apartment building an hour before the victim died." Boyle copied her word for word.

"Okay thanks Amy we'll bring him in for questioning." She hung up and went to tell Diaz what she found. Between the two of them they were able to find multiple images of Balme and printed them off for them to use in the interrogation.

They were sat around for half an hour when Terry came over. "Peralta called. Balme's dead – looks like he was poisoned too."

"Are you sure?"

"The surveillance footage showed no one else going to Wells floor, but his apartment could have been accessed by the fire escape." Amy answered.

"So someone poison's Balme and Wells?"

"The toxicologist said that the poison can take around half an hour to take effect, Balme lives ten minutes away."

"This case makes no sense. Why kill both of them if it's not about getting the drugs?" Jake said rubbing his head. They were back at his apartment eating sandwiches. They'd stayed at the precinct until midnight before heading back to catch a few hours sleep.

Amy groaned. "I don't know. Let's just try and come at it tomorrow, my head hurts too much to think about it now."

"Hang on I'll get you some aspirin." Jake said and went to the kitchen. While he was at it he took two himself before passing them and a glass of water to Amy. He excused himself and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

When he came back out Amy still sat on the couch looking thoughtful.

"What?"

"The apartment directly above Wells was empty right?"

"Yeah."

"What if someone went to that apartment and then used the fire escape to go down to Wells apartment?"

He actually kissed her. "We've been checking the footage for the wrong floor."

Despite being absolutely exhausted they both went back to the precinct. Amy found the tape for the upstairs floor.

"No." she said as she saw who came out of the elevator and picked the lock of the flat directly above Robert Wells. "Why would they even…?"

"Doesn't matter now. Send this to Diaz and Boyle, we'll bring them in." Jake said cutting over her and picking up his phone to call for backup at the murder's address.

By seven in the morning all four of them were at the precinct staring through the one way glass at their suspect.

"So who's going in?" Diaz asked.

"Amy put it together – she should go." Jake said clapping her on the back.

Amy beamed. "Together?" and opened the door to go into the interrogation room.

Jake leaned back against the door as Amy took a seat and began.

"Anthony Wells we are formally charging you with the murder of your son Robert Wells and John Balme. You have the right to an attorney or you can give us your statement now."

He lifted his head out of his hands showing them his guilt stricken face.

"We will be charging you with premeditated murder of the first degree. Any cooperation you give us now will be in your best interests." Amy said.

He nodded slowly. "I talked to Robbie about a week ago. His mother was so worried. He'd gotten mixed in with a bad crowd. Apparently he was at a party that went bad, he wanted me to come and get him. When I took him back to his apartment I saw drugs. He said he was holding them for his '_friends_'. I tried to convince him to call the cops but he said no. I asked him to come back home with me but he refused. We argued, he threw me out."

He took a deep breath. "The day before I…I went to his apartment planning to apologise and to try and reason with him again. I saw him outside selling drugs to a _kid_. I confronted him. Told him what he was doing to his mother. How he was ruining his life. I knew that the apartment above him was empty – he'd mentioned it once. I double checked and the next day I broke in and climbed down the fire escape."

He took a long pause. "How did you administer the poison?" Amy prompted.

"When I came through the window he was in the front – I didn't know he had company, all I could hear was the TV. He had some food cooking on the stove. I slipped some in and left by the fire escape."

Terry knocked on the door and motioned for Amy and Jake to come outside.

"Captain wants to see you."

Diaz and Boyle were already in the office.

"Mrs Wells has gotten her husband an attorney who has requested to speak to his client alone."

"Santiago already got a confession captain, I recorded it all."

"Good work. Charles already filled me in on how you solved the case." He glanced at his watch. "Well, Diaz and Boyle can finish processing Mr Wells, Peralta get on your stack of unfinished paperwork, it's blocking my view."

Diaz and Boyle left while Peralta hovered in the office.

"You can leave Peralta."

"Yes captain." he said and gave a mock salute before leaving, shooting a look over at Amy as he left.

Holt got up and shut the door. "Sit down detective."

Amy obliged sensing a sudden shift in the room's atmosphere. She reactively braced herself for something.

"I wanted to be the one to tell you that Bryce's body has been discovered."

Her head spun a little.

"It's not yet known how the body was transported to the area and it looks like an attempt was made to make the body unidentifiable…I won't go into details but forensics have confirmed his identity." He took a long pause and assessed her. She felt her eyes glaze over. "I want to offer my condolences. Of course I will understand it if you want to take some time off."

"Thank you." she replied numbly and left the room.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

Amy quickly made her way out of the precinct not talking to anyone on her way. No one asked questions her face was perfectly composed. Jake was too busy picking up the pile of paperwork he'd knocked over to notice her leave. She went home for the afternoon. She got a couple of calls but ignored them. She'd already spent time crying and sitting around depressed before Bryce's body was found. This time she wasn't so much upset as she was angry. Angry that she'd even allowed even a part of herself believe that he might not be dead. That he was coming back.

She vented her fury into her apartment, scrubbing it from head to toe, throwing things out of her wardrobe, polishing cutlery. She even got radical and threw her doilies away. She was tired of holding onto mementoes from her past. She sorted her things into piles that could go to charity, stuff for storage and things that could be thrown away.

By eleven her apartment was gleaming and looked new in her eyes. She still wasn't ready to go to sleep, to allow the disappointment to fill her, so she pulled out a pile of work and set at it. She fell asleep around four in the morning, too exhausted to sleep, and woke up at six with a cricked neck and a sheet of work completely destroyed by drool.

Packing her bag she went to get dressed for work. She pulled out the straightners that had been deemed for the charity shop and decided to use them for only the second time. Then she pulled out a bag of makeup and lined her eyes, applied blush and even lipstick. She examined herself in the mirror and decided she looked like a completely different person. She wanted to be a different person for a little while – to try and escape the feelings of confusion, to stop the anger from consuming her.

Looking at the pile of black bags in her living room she decided to put it all in storage for the time being. Double checking she'd turned the plug off on the straightners she picked up her purse and headed out of the door.

Apart from Holt she was the first person into the precinct. She marched straight into his office.

"I finished all my work. I need new work."

He looked up and if his expression betrayed anything she would have guessed she startled him. But if he was or if he noticed anything new about her he didn't say so.

"The Wells case still hasn't been completed, Diaz and Boyle had planned on completing it once they got in this morning."

She turned on her heel and collected everything off of Diaz's desk and took it back to hers. But the time everyone else came in two hours later it was back on Diaz's desk completely finished and Amy was now working on some of Jake's paperwork.

Jake slowed a little while walking towards the desk and she could feel him eye her over. Diaz sat at her desk with Boyle traipsing behind her. Boyle gave a little noise of surprise and they both looked over at her, obviously noting that she had signed the file off. Within a minute all three were stood around her.

"Is that my paperwork?" Jake asked in surprise.

"I was going to finish that this morning." Diaz said flatly.

"Your hair looks fantastic." Boyle said with his regular enthusiasm.

"I got in early." She answered, not even looking up.

"Holy crap Amy's wearing makeup!" She heard Gina exclaim from across the room.

Amy took a deep breath and continued with her work. Well, Jake's work.

After a moment of glaring Diaz went back to her desk with Boyle an inch behind her. When Terry came in Gina set straight to work at making him uncomfortable. Only Jake kept observing Amy.

He allowed her to keep doing his paperwork and sat at his desk, watching her while he similarly set to work on the pile.

She only ever excused herself to get lunch, waiting an hour after the rest of the precinct to eat and therefore enabling herself to go alone. She knew she shouldn't be closing herself off but she was still so angry she was worried she'd snap at anyone at any moment. Holt was already worried about her performance she was sure. And Terry had only just started to stop babying her.

"Amy?" She finally looked up at Charles' voice. "We're going for drinks to celebrate closing the case. You coming?" His voice almost sounded timid to her, it was a voice she only ever really heard when he was talking to Rosa.

"No. Thank you." She forced herself to tack on.

"Okay – well we'll see you tomorrow." She looked at her watch and saw it was past seven.

"Jake?" Boyle asked optimistically.

"No thanks man – I've got plans." he replied casually, leaning back in his chair.

That left Amy, Jake and Holt in the office. Amy still had one last report to finish up and made no move to leave. That didn't bother Jake he just stayed in his chair watching her. About half an hour later Holt left as the night shift would soon be coming in.

She hovered over the last paragraph a little, knowing Jake would start questioning her as soon as she finished. He didn't. He waited for her to print everything off and place it on Holt's desk. He let her put her coat on and pick up her bag. And as she walked out of the room he followed her.

When she reached her car he took her hand and guided her back to his. He opened the passenger door and stared her down until she got in. They still didn't speak, he just drove her back to her apartment and led her upstairs. He took the keys out of her purse again and took her inside the apartment and locked the door behind them before shrugging out of his jacket and settling on her couch.

"Holt wouldn't tell me. He said it involved an active investigation and it was up to you to tell me." he said looking at her. She was still stood next to the door in her coat. He switched the light on but she remained in the shadows. "Was it about Bryce? Did they find a body?"

Her silence was a pretty clear answer.

He took a big sigh searching for words. His eyes searched the apartment as he did. "Did you clean up in here?" Straightening up he noticed the absence of her beloved doilies. "Where is everything?"

"I put it in storage." It was the second thing she'd said to him all day.

Her apartment looked strangely empty, and so did Amy for that matter. "Amy – talk to me." He got up and wrapped an arm around her waist. "You seem like a completely different person today. Not that you don't look ridiculously hot." He added as an afterthought. Sighing he pressed a kiss on her forehead and led her to the couch. "I'm not going anywhere."

She took a deep breath. "I'm just mad."

"That he's dead."

"That I let myself think that he wasn't."

His self confidence took a brief blow. Had she really wanted to go with him after all?

"That I couldn't help him in the end. If I hadn't gotten myself caught…" She cleared her throat. It was evident that she hadn't spoken for a while.

"You still would've had to get past a handful of guards and Lawall before you could rescue him."

"I was so close."

"You did everything you could."

"It still wasn't enough."

"Without your work we wouldn't have caught Lawall in time. He would've escaped. We've made dozens of arrests out of this, their gang framework has been crippled."

"Yeah." She still didn't sound like Amy to his ears. He pulled her coat off and went to hang it up.


	20. Chapter 20

**_I cannot believe I've reach twenty chapters! Thanks to everyone for reading :)_**

**Chapter Twenty**

They both got in that morning earlier than usual. They were just about to make their way up the stairs when Amy had a sudden impulse.

Amy grabbed Jake's hand and pulled him in through the doors of the supply closet just off a corner. She groped for the lock in the dark room and pushed Jake's back up against a wall knocking over a broom in the process.

"Amy!" He said in a moment of surprise.

She leaned forward and kissed the side of his throat and kicked off her shoes.

"You sure this is a good idea?" He said in a low and nervous voice.

"No one will hear us here."

"What about the cleaning crew?"

"They'll have gone by now." She gently bit his lip silencing the conversation and ran her hands up his chest.

"O-kay then. Well argued." Jake said and wrapped his arms around her waist, pushing her forward into the back of the door. "Hold on."

"Where have you two been?" Terry asked, looking up angrily from the front of the briefing room.

Jake made sure he was the first to talk. Amy still hadn't improved her lying skills. "Nowhere." he said and from behind Amy mimed crying and pointed at her back. She looked over at him suspiciously.

"Fine, sit down." He said his voice a little less angry.

Jake shrugged at Amy's confused face and sat in the nearest chair.

"Diaz, any leads on your case?"

"Waiting for the forensic report and am looking through surveillance for the night."

"Scully?"

"Me and Hitchcock canvassed the whole building, we got multiple claims that they saw a man run away from the crime scene. A couple of the witnesses are working with an artist now to get us a picture that we can put out."

"Boyle."

"Looking into a mugging that happened two blocks over. I've just traced some recent activity on the woman's card and am working to get an address on the perp."

"Okay – Peralta there was a theft I want you to look into. Santiago you still working the Grimes case?"

"Yep – I'm following up some leads."

"Good. We're stretched this week people so we need to stay _focused_." He said glaring a hole into Jake's head. "_Dismissed_."

Jake followed Amy back to their desk.

"So are we going to talk about the closet?"

"Was fun right." She said with a smile. "If we both finish on time tonight are you coming back to mine – we still have a few more episodes of series two to watch?"

"I told you Magnum PI was awesome right?" Jake said with a smile. "Go on – say it. Say I was right. You know I love it when you say that."

She punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow. I'll see you later." He said overacting a bit as he rubbed his shoulder. As an afterthought he turned back and leaned into her ear. "And for the record the closet was _fantastic_."

Jake had to resist from tugging his hair out as he leant back in his chair. The building where the theft took place had no security cameras (_in this day and age!_) and there were no witnesses. Forensics had cleaned the place and there were absolutely no prints anywhere. All he had was a list of things that were taken and the hopes that they would turn up in a pawn shop which actually kept records of the things that were sold and who brought it in.

Someone else tugged the ends of his hair.

"Hey!"

"Hey yourself." Amy said. "What's wrong, you look _tense_?"

"Dead end case. How's yours going?"

"Just closed it." She said throwing the file on her desk. "Turns out the butler really did do it. So you had lunch yet?"

"No time. Hairs to pull out."

She looked around at the half deserted precinct and double checking that Holt and Terry weren't there leant down to give him a kiss that lasted a little bit longer then she meant it to.

"I should report you two." Gina said coyly coming to perch on the desk. "So – set a date yet?" Attempting and failing to give them a wink, it came out as a weird kind of squint.

"Go away or I'll tell Terry about the pictures I saw you take of him while he was getting changed in the locker room." Amy said trying to emulate Diaz's intimidating tone.

It sorta worked, Gina left, though Jake still gave a snort. "Don't even try it Santiago. You could never be that creepy."

"Yes I could." She said automatically. "I bet I could. No wait – not bet. No more bets!"

"Pizza or Chinese?" Amy asked holding two takeaway menus up waving them around in front of Jake's face.

"Chinese?" Jake said and watched Amy walk over to the phone.

He turned on the TV and found the right disc. They were close to series three, his favourite.

"Jake?"

He looked up and Amy was stood next to him. "Yep."

She sat down pressing up to the side of him. She opened her mouth once or twice.

"What?"

She took his hand tightly. "I love you." She said a bit stiffly.

"You mean you broke the one rule?"

She punched him in the shoulder.

"Yet again – _ow_! I love you too you big meanie."

"And I know – I've been – difficult lately. I'm sorry."

"Oh. You know it hasn't been – you haven't been…"

She kissed him. "Yes I have. And I appreciate how much you've put up with. I just wanted to tell you before you start to think you could do better than me."

"Never."

He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her as the opening theme started.

When the guy knocked on the door he got up to answer and even got the plates and a fork for Amy who still couldn't use a chopstick, no matter how many times he tried to teach her. He came back through to find her still transfixed to the TV.

She loves Magnum PI. _Now, if I could only get her hooked on Die Hard._

**_I know given it's the twentieth chapter I maybe should have written something longer but I think 'I love you' is a pretty worthy milestone. Plus I just started watching The Office UK on Netflix and it gets taken down on Friday so I'm on a mad rush to try and watch it all before then. And for all of you who say The Office US is good – the UK version is better. That's why the US replicated it :P _**

**_Oh and the Magnum PI thing came after I read mrs_nerimon 'maybe I'll tell you sometime' – it was a really cute story!_**

**_Thanks for reading and for everyone else who writes B99 stories keep it up because I like to read them!HoHHHHHHH_**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty One**

"Jake – where are we going?" Amy asked impatiently as the car crawled through rush hour traffic.

The car came to a holt as the traffic lights changed and Jake turned to glare at Amy who sat in the passenger seat beside him. "Stop complaining – it's not much further now."

"You know I hate surprises."

"You'll like this one. I promise."

**_7 Days Ago_**

"Charles – get over here." Jake hissed and pulled Boyle through into the break room.

"What?"

Jake shut the door and pulled the blinds close. Even though he knew the room was empty he still looked around dramatically and pulled Charles closer. "I need your help." He said in a hushed voice.

"With what?"

"I need to go full Boyle. Don't you dare make a sound." He added clamping his hand on Charles' mouth who looked like he was going to explode.

After a moment he slowly took his hand away. "Calm Boyle."

"What exactly are we going full Boyle for?" He answered his voice on the verge.

"It'll be mine and Amy's anniversary next week. One whole month." Although admittedly it felt longer what with the amounts of times one of them had nearly died. "I want to do something special for her. Full Boyle."

"Great – I have so many ideas, you could take a hot air balloon ride, or maybe go to Vermont, or _Paris_." He said tripping over his own tongue, his eyes shining.

"Okay role it back a _little_ Boyle."

"Sorry."

"Now – this needs to stay a secret. We need to keep this from Amy. And you know what she's like. She hates secrets – if she so much as _suspects_ that we're up to something she will be on to us like a bloodhound. So what are we doing?" Jake said once again looking around them like Amy was going to jump out of hiding any minute and say she _knew_ he was up to _something_.

"Keeping it a secret."

"Keeping it a secret." Jake repeated.

**_Present_**

"Jake I'm _hungry_." Amy whined.

"Relax you will be fed."

"I thought we were going to my place to watch your favourite Magnum episode and order takeout."

"I have something more special planned." He said smug that he had gone the whole week without her so much as finding out a single part of his plan.

"Really." She said gently poking him on the shoulder. "What?"

"It's a surprise."

She pouted at that. "I hate surprises."

That made him laugh. "I know."

**_Five Days Ago_**

"Terry, hey Terry." Jake said hovering over him as he tried to finish his paperwork. "I need you for a minute." Amy was out of the office with Diaz on a case.

"Not now Peralta. I've gotta be home by six or I'll miss the girls dance rehearsal. And I've still got paperwork to do."

"_Please_, it's important."

He sighed. "_What_?" His voice was still stern and Jake noticed for the first time the little stress doll that was being pulverised in his left hand flexing his imposing biceps.

"How would feel about helping me with a little project?"

**_Three Days Ago_**

"So we're all clear on the plan right?" Jake said slowly as he sat in a room with Gina, Scully and Hitchcock. He'd had to explain three times.

"Keep it a secret."

"Good Scully – keep it a secret. Are you sure you understand that Gina?"

"_Yes_." She said slowly.

"Good. So you all know where you need to be?"

"Yes." They all said together like sullen school children.

"And what time?"

"Yes."

"Alright." Jake said clapping his hands together. "I think we're just about there. Just two more to go."

**_Present_**

He saw her face screw up in concentration as they parked outside the building.

"Isn't this?"

"Yep." He got out of the car and went to open the passenger door. "Shall we?" Holding out his hand and pulling her up.

It was a crisp night, probably not the best time to sit on a rooftop. But at least he'd given her one hint – bring a thick coat.

**_Two Days Ago_**

Diaz was on board – she already knew about the plan. Charles had broken down and told her though he assured Jake that he hadn't told Amy. He didn't even need to ask Diaz if she had cracked – she kept more secrets than, well, he wasn't sure as he didn't know how many secrets she had. A lot was his guess given he didn't even know where she lived.

He knocked on the captain's door.

"Come in."

**_Present_**

"You will be rewarded for your patience." He said coaxing her up the stairs.

"I can't believe you brought me back here."

"Why?"

"Well it does link back to our bet date where, _oh_ let me remember, you were doing your upmost to make me _miserable_…" she replied sarcastically.

"It ended pretty well though?"

"Yeah." She squeezed his hand. "Although I always wondered…"

"What?"

She pulled him to a stop. "Why did you turn down back up that night?"

He pulled her up the last five steps that led to the rooftop door. "Because. It was that moment that I realised how much you meant to me, and I didn't want it to end. I didn't want us to go back to work and become just partners again. I wanted to prolong the moment of feeling like you genuinely liked me."

"I liked you." She said shyly at his sudden openness.

"Not how I wanted you to."

She scanned his face. "Yes I did. I just didn't realise it until that moment either."

He grinned at her and opened the door.

**_I know it could have been longer but as I say four more days to finish the The Office UK before it's taken off Netflix. I'm on a deadline! Plus my week has been so busy and so monotonous I can barely believe I had enough brain function left to write this much. Hopefully I will have tomorrow afternoon to write the next chapter if my timetable permits and I can show how Jake goes full Boyle. I haven't actually planned what he's done yet so if there's any random thing you'd like to see please tell me and I'll try to factor it in somehow. Thanks for reading!_**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty Two**

"Jake?"

Boyle was placing food on a table near the ledge and Gina was pouring out the wine.

"Happy anniversary!" He said pulling her towards the table.

But her eyes weren't focused so much on the food as they were on the hot air balloon tied down on the opposite end of the roof.

He followed her gaze. "Yeah in retrospect asking for Boyle's help was probably a bad idea." he murmured before raising his voice and overenthusiastically saying "Let's eat!"

Jake helped Amy into her seat before sitting opposite her.

Boyle took his role as the chef very seriously with a towel folded over his arm and his apron expertly tied. He proceeded to read out the menu for the evening. While Amy was apprehensive about the balloon she had to admit the food sounded delicious, better than staying at her apartment and just ordering crummy takeout.

Gina took away the lids off their food and they both proceeded to leave the roof.

Jake lifted his glass – "Happy Anniversary. One month, you have to be amazed we've lasted this long."

"You mean our relationship or our lives in general."

"Both." He said with a grin.

She clinked his glass. "Although technically the prefix of 'anniversary' is anni which is Latin for year, so technically we shouldn't even be celebrating a month."

His jaw tensed a little and he gave her a mock stern look. "Shut up Santiago."

"Make me Peralta." She said leaning in.

He grabbed her by the shoulder and kissed her almost knocking over the bottle of wine in the process. She gasped a little as he pushed his tongue into her mouth.

"How's the food?" Boyle shouted loudly and nervously through the metal door.

Jake pulled back. "What is it with him and always interrupting us?" Before shouting back. "Great, now _go away_."

Amy leaned back in her chair with a smile and started to eat. Jake watched her for a minute before doing likewise.

"So I have to ask – how did you get permission to use the roof? And to get the hot air balloon up here?" She turned in her chair slightly to eye it warily.

"Terry and Holt managed to pull some strings between them. Turns out they're both romantics at heart, beneath their tough and stoic exteriors."

He followed her gaze to the balloon and laughed. "Don't worry I'm nervous too – I should have kept a closer eye on Boyle. Sooner or later I should have expected he'd go overboard and pull something crazy."

"Probably."

When they finished their mains Gina reappeared to take their plates and Boyle brought the desert course.

"So who exactly is flying the hot air balloon."

"I have no idea – Boyle said I didn't need to worry about it, so of course I'm worried about it. Some guy's coming was all I got out of him."

"Okay." She said through a little nervous laugh.

The metal door swung open and Scully and Hitchcock came through lugging a very large cardboard box.

Jake muttered something like – "I knew they weren't listening to me" before saying more loudly. "Guys, wrong roof."

They looked up at his voice and their heads sank in despair. The door shut behind them as they made their way back down the stairs.

Amy looked at him questioningly.

"You'll see. This was actually my idea."

When they finished Gina came once more to collect their plates and then both her and Boyle left for good.

"You know I actually considered asking Scully to sing for us but then I figured he'd try and find some way of taking off his shirt and that would probably ruin the mood."

Amy laughed knowing he was probably right.

Jake motioned for her to get up out of her chair. Then he led her to a bench that had been placed in the center of the roof looking at the building adjacent to them. He then produced a blanket and they both sat under it.

"Any minute now – hopefully."

The first firework went off from the adjacent roof which was slightly below them.

"Oh" Amy said softly and leaned forward.

Jake wrapped an arm around her shoulders and she was glad for the extra warm, she could feel the cold biting at her face.

How Holt and Jeffords had gotten permission for the fireworks in such a confined area was beyond her. They were beautiful though.

Right up until one of them hit the balloon and sent a ball of flames down on the rooftop.

They both leapt up as a stream of water came over their heads. Rosa and Fire Marshal Boone where perched above them directing a fire hose at the flames.

"I _told_ Boyle this was too far." Diaz shouted down to Amy and Jake who were now soaking wet, although the heat that had come of the flames kept them rather warm.

They looked at each other and while Jake expected Santiago to go berserk and lecture him about fireworks and hot air balloons being put anywhere near each other Amy started to giggle hysterically as she pushed her drenched hair out of her face.

"Do me a favour next time will you?" she said through her laughter. "Don't ask Boyle for help."

Jake nodded. "Done."

"We got this guys." Rosa called down while Amy still giggled.

Jake grabbed Amy by the arm and pulled her through the door.

"Stop laughing!" He said as they reached the car.

"I'm sorry." She squealed. "But that was just ridiculous."

He laughed despite himself.

"So – Magnum series three?"

"Magnum series three." She twined her fingers with his and leant in for a kiss.

She pulled back with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"What?"

"I'm just thinking." She said as a fire engine pulled up. "Maybe I should plan our next anniversary."

**_Thanks to alreadytorn for the 'anniversary' Latin bit – I thought that was funny. Not that Jake would care about such a technicality! _**

**_Sorry I didn't write yesterday I was a bit ill. Thanks for reading. Tell me if there are any more scenes you'd like to see as full Boyle was a rather popular request :)_**


	23. Chapter 23

**_I have not seen the episode but Fox posted a clip online which I watched. I also read another story on here which dealt with the storyline too by Laury the Latrator which was really good :)_**

**Chapter Twenty Three**

"Amy" Jake yelled through the apartment. "Where's the corkscrew."

"I don't have one – I just use the Swiss army knife." She shouted through from the bedroom where she was getting changed out of her work clothes.

"God you're hot."

He could just make out her laughter. "The knife's on top of the refrigerator."

"Kay." He ran his hand across the top of the fridge and knocked over an empty cardboard box. After grabbing the knife he bent down to pick it up and found that it wasn't empty at all.

When Amy came back into the living room Jake was sat in a dining chair right outside her bedroom door, his feet propped up on the table, arms folded. He looked like he did sometimes in an interrogation.

"What are you doing, get your shoes off there, I eat at that table." She said and knocked his feet off.

His face still stayed stern and they stood in silence for a moment.

"Seriously, what?" She said her voice still a little huffy.

He straightened up in his chair and looked her in the eye. "The question is. Why do you have a box on top of the fridge that contains a lighter and a packet of cigarettes?"

"Erm – I'm holding on to them for someone." She said slowly and walked quickly into the kitchen.

He was a couple of steps behind her.

She grabbed the army knife and found the corkscrew attachment. Once the bottle was open she poured herself out a very generous amount.

He threw the packet onto the countertop and leaned back. "Holding on to them. Is that all you have to say Santiago?"

She grimaced. "Fine that was bad. But it's not like I smoke often."

"When was the last time you smoked?"

"When the hot air balloon caught on fire."

"_Yesterday_? I was here the whole night how did you even…"

"I waited until you were asleep then went on to the roof." She stayed quiet for a moment. "Look apart from last night I haven't even smoked in two months. I just _occasionally_ have _one_ every now and again."

"Well this has to stop." Jake said firmly.

She sighed. "Urgh it's not a big deal. I don't have a problem."

"It _is_ a big deal Santiago."

"Do you realise every time you're mad at me you call me Santiago?" She asked through pursed lips.

"Don't you try and distract me." He said sternly pointing at her like a mom scorning a naughty child.

"Look, I know you don't think it's a big deal but it is to me." He handed her back the packet and she took it rather sullenly. "I know we haven't talked much about the future and where we're going but I do know that I want you to be in it – alive. And looking hot – not like those smokers who look eighty when they're fifty."

The image made her giggle a little. With a heavy sigh she walked over to the bin and with a moment of hesitation threw the packet in. He then handed her the lighter.

"Well you know it's always handy to have a lighter."

He just gave her a look and it went in the bin too.

Jake pulled her forward into a tight hug and planted a quick kiss on her forehead. Then he pulled back thoughtfully. "You know I didn't smell smoke on you this morning?"

"Yeah I changed my clothes, sprayed myself with air freshener, brushed my teeth and ate five pieces of gum before I got back into bed." She saw his expression. "Okay, okay, I may have _had_ a _little_ problem."

He kissed her again.

The next day he came back to her apartment with a grocery bag full of anti-smoking stuff. Nicotine patches, gum, an e-cigarette and multiple leaflets.

"Do we really need _all_ of this?" She said sceptically.

"Well the leaflet says that you will likely find one method that works best for you."

"Well I've already had my monthly quota so you don't really have to worry about me just yet."

"I just want to be prepared." He waved her off dramatically as he walked into the kitchen where he grabbed the cardboard box and filled it with everything he bought. He also put an extra box of nicotine gum he got in her purse.

"There." He said rubbing his hands together. "That should do it."

"So are we still worried about _me_ being the over thinker in this relationship?" Amy said sarcastically watching everything he did.

"Hey – when you're not dying of a smoking related disease you will be thanking me."

She rolled her eyes. "Well if you're worried about me inhaling smoke you should probably talk to my family as they all smoke like chimneys when I'm over."

He paused. "Seriously? ... I'm gonna have to go back to the store."

She punched him in the arm.

"Ow – is that the thanks I get?"

"Oh, you know" she said coyly with a smile, "you're right. You deserve _much_ better." She slunk over and standing on her tiptoes pulled him in for a kiss. "Thank you. For caring. Not so much for being pushy whiner."

He poked her in the stomach.

"_Ow_, okay." She pulled him in for a longer kiss.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty Four**

Jake felt his eyes lock onto Amy as he spied her sitting at her desk from across the room. He straightened his tie trying to avoid this for another moment. He had just gotten off the phone with his mom who reminded him of one promise he had made a while ago.

That she would get to meet Amy.

He stopped off at Boyle's desk for a quick chat but he was busy writing up a report on his computer. Diaz as usual was in no mood to chat, she just glared at him until he walked off. He could've talked to Gina but he wasn't nearly desperate enough.

Eventually he found himself leaning over her casting a long shadow on her face.

"Hey." She said brightly looking up at him. "You wanna do anything tonight?"

Usually he would have been inclined to make a dirty joke, instead he just swallowed loudly and said, "My mom wants to meet you."

Her eyes widened a little and her mouth popped open into an adorable little 'o' shape. "Err, really?" She sucked in a big breath and he could sense her trying not to go into a neurotic overload. "Me. She, err, she wants to, erm, meet, me?"

He nodded slowly before jumping into a quick explanation. "I'm so sorry – it wasn't my idea. But she saw you that night at the restaurant when you were with…" he avoided Bryce's name "and she, well she kinda figured out that we were dating and that I really liked you" he watched her mouth turn into a small smile "and she was adamant that she wanted to meet you. And well, I've kept her at bay for a month, but now she's, well she's gotten rather vocal – well she basically threatened to come into the station if I didn't set something up." He finished crossing his arms looking very defensive.

"Oh, well, okay. I guess." She said and running a hand through her hair looked down at the work on her desk. "So, erm, what, er, when are we?"

"She's making dinner for six so I can drive us." He said woodenly.

"Tonight. Okay." Her voice a little small.

"Amy – there's no reason to freak out, it's not that big a deal."

She looked around the precinct and hastily stood up and walked into the break room with Jake tailing behind her. He shut the door after them.

"It's just" she said her arms waving about "it _i_s a big deal. It's your mother, you talk about her all the time, I mean she's important to you, what she thinks about me is important. I just, I can't, I mean I'm worried that…"

He broke her off by pulling her into a tight hug and firmly pressing a kiss to her head.

"She could think you are the devil and I wouldn't care."

She laughed into his shoulder, still sounding a little shaky.

He ran a hand through her hair. "Now please remember how well I calmed you down because when the day comes that you want me to meet your family and you introduce me to your scary brothers as your boyfriend you're going to have to do the same for me."

"Okay." She said softly looking up at him. "It's a deal."

Regardless of Jake's words her leg bounced up and down the whole car journey. In the end he had to put his hand on her knee to make her stop.

They pulled up to a nice terraced house, small but well maintained. Jake didn't even knock on the door he just opened it and pushed Amy through.

"Mom?" He called out through the empty living room.

"In the kitchen – I'll be right out."

Amy followed Jake to the couch and sat down close beside him not wanted to be so much as an inch apart in this strange environment.

When his mother eventually came out Jake held her hand through the introductions. She looked nothing like Jake which intensified her questions about his absentee father – she wondered if there were any pictures of him anywhere.

"Well then Amy why don't you sit down there, Jake can help me with the food."

"Oh I can…"

"No really, make yourself at home." She said kindly and pulled Jake through the door into the kitchen.

She could make out the slight whispers of conversation but couldn't pick up what they were talking about.

She scanned the small room and found pictures of Jake's smiling face cluttering nearly every surface – from his talks before about his mom it reinforced her suspicions that Jake was well a truly a momma's boy.

Jake poked his head round the door. "Come on – dinner's ready."

Jake sat opposite her next to his mother. She couldn't help but compare it to an interrogation especially with the mirror behind their heads.

They ate the majority of their meal with only bits of small talk coming up. Like Jake his mom was pretty focused on her food rather than conversation. Eventually as they started their desserts she began what sounded like pre-prepared questions.

"So Amy." His mother began. "Tell me about your family?"

"Well I have seven brothers. They are all cops like me, erm, three of them are married and one of them has two kids."

"Extended family?"

"Sixteen cousins." Jake gave her a look of shock which she always got from people who came from small families.

"And you're the youngest sibling?"

"Second youngest, Tomas is the baby."

Jake scoffed. "I've seen a picture of Tomas." He told his mother. "He is no baby." She smiled at his accuracy. While he was a year younger than her he had fully reached the size of his older brothers. She guessed to an outsider he may even look daunting, if they didn't know what a softie he really was.

"You like a big family?" His mother continued with the cross-examination not even pausing to pass comment.

"Erm, they're alright I guess."

"So you want kids?"

"Mom – _boundaries_." Jake exclaimed while Amy took a big gulp of wine.

"What? You'd have cute kids."

"I can't believe you're still talking."

Amy cleared her throat. "I haven't really thought about it." Her voice came out a bit stiff.

"Okay – well this was a nice dinner yeah." Jake said enthusiastically. "Maybe next time we should all go out to stop you from asking my girlfriend any more embarrassing questions."

Jake went and grabbed Amy's coat and put it on her – she hadn't even finished her dessert.

Amy shrugged his hands off and stretched her hand out to his mother. "It was nice to meet you."

His mother took her hand and with what Amy thought was a fond look in her eye said "Yes it was lovely to _finally_ meet you too." Giving Jake a significant glare that made Amy smile a little.

He took her hand and led her to the car opening the passenger door for her before running back up the stairs to kiss his mother on the cheek.

"You should get back inside it's cold."

She waved him off. "You know Jakey, I like her."

"Yeah me too." He said with a lump in his throat and looked over at Amy who was trying to discreetly watch them out of the corner of her eyes.

"And remember when the time comes you can have your grandmother's engagement ring – beautiful. About the only good thing you're father left me – besides you." She said fondly running a hand down the side of his face.

"Mom let's not get ahead of ourselves, now get back inside, I'll call you later this week."

"Okay sweetheart, have a safe trip home."

Jake climbed into the car and met Amy's expectant gaze.

"She loves you. Not as much as I do though." He answered giving her hand a squeeze before shifting into gear and pulling away from the curb thankful that was all over.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty Five**

Gina came over to sit on the edge of Jake's desk. "Whatcha doin'?" She said slowly.

"Working."

"W-ow, I guess couples really do start to look alike."

He threw his pen down. "I am not turning into Santiago."

Gina looked at Amy who was bent over her work sitting in pretty much the exact same pose Jake had been in only a second ago.

"What's your point?"

"You need to have fun – we should all go out tonight we haven't done that in _ages_."

He sighed, he could think of one particular thing he'd much rather be doing tonight. "I don't know…"

"Okay Santiago, I guess I'll just go ask one of the cool kids."

"Huh?" Amy said at the sound of her name.

"We're going out for drinks tonight. Make sure you use whatever powers you have wielded over this man to get him there." Gina hopped off the desk and went over to tell Diaz the plan. As soon as she agreed of course Charles did too.

Amy and Jake looked at each other and made the face that all couples make when they're forced to go out to bars full of single people.

They headed back to Amy's apartment to get ready swearing to Gina that they would come and that she didn't need to go home with them.

"I don't really have to wear heels do I?" She groaned looking at the shoes in her hands as if they were a form of torture.

"As long as you don't make me wear a belt." Jake replied looping it around him and gingerly tightening it.

"Urgh god we are boring aren't we? We don't even want to go out for a couple of drinks anymore."

"In all fairness you never wanted to go out for drinks when you were single."

He looked at her expression and backtracked.

Jake scoffed. "I _meant_ that we are _not_ boring. We just don't want to go because we'd rather be here. Mocking crappy TV and having ridiculous amounts of sex. The only reason everyone's giving us such a hard time is because they're jealous of all the regular sex we're having. While they mill the bars and get chatted up by drunk weirdoes we know we get to go home with someone who isn't repulsive and who we won't regret tomorrow morning. Up top." She gave him a half-hearted high five.

"Besides, we'll only go for two drinks. Terry won't be staying long, we'll leave the same time as him."

"We always mocked Terry when he left early."

"O-kay maybe three drinks?"

They sat close by each other as the club lights whirled around them, watching as Gina and Rosa grinded up against some strange men who were both wearing way too much hair gel. Charles, who by this point was totally wasted, was talking the ear off of the poor bartender who looked like he was about to commit ritual suicide just to get away from him.

Amy's head lolled back on her shoulders. "Oh god what _time_ is it?"

Jake eagerly looked at his watch and Amy watched his face fall in disappointment. "Ten thirty."

She put her head on the table and the sound of her groan was drowned out by the ridiculously loud music that was making her head pound. She felt Jake run a hand through her hair. She turned her head to look at him and gave him a smile.

Gina appeared out of nowhere. "Jake – need to borrow you." She said and yanked him away to another table by the door which led to a courtyard area. Rosa sat herself down next to Amy and resumed drinking her beer.

"Don't you have a boyfriend?" Amy asked propping her head up on her hand.

"Maybe."

"Then why are you still here?"

"Why are you here?"

"We don't want to be the boring couple."

"You don't want to be a boring couple, or you don't want people to _think_ you're a boring couple." She said in a way that made it clear she wasn't asking a question. She already knew the answer.

"The truth is I would rather be sat at home with Jake watching crappy late night television and go to sleep sometime _before_ eleven."

"So – go home."

Amy pointed at Jake who looked like he was in deep conversation with Gina.

Rosa slapped her on the back and pushed her a shot of what looked like tequila. "You drink. I'll take care of Gina."

"So then Jake." Gina said pushing him into a chair. They were sat at a table where the music was a little less loud although they still had to yell at each other.

"What?"

She pursed her lips. "Do you remember the pact we made five years ago?"

He racked his murky brain before his head fell in his hands. "You don't mean…"

"Yep. And before you say anything remember, we pinkie swore so no backsies."

If Jake remembered correctly he'd been drunk that time too. "Yeah but I didn't think I'd be, you know, in a _relationship_. Let alone with Santiago." Not that he hadn't thought about boning her a couple of times over the years but a _relationship_ five years ago would have scared him out of his skin.

"Nevertheless we had a promise."

They'd made a stupid deal five years ago that if Jake ever got into a relationship that looked in anyway serious he had to set Gina up with someone. Apparently it stemmed from a drunken idea she'd had that they had to have a double wedding – because Amy would love that.

"And according to that promise I get to choose who I want to be set up with."

"I'm telling you right now Terry is off the table."

Gina rolled her eyes. "No – I want you to set me up with one of Amy's brothers. I don't know which house the stork was supposed to deliver her to but her adopted family is full of hotties."

Jake scowled.

"Oh relax I'm sure if I was a man '_I'd want to hit that booty_' but let's focus on this."

He sighed, "I don't know any of her brothers."

"So Amy can do it."

That made him laugh. "Hell no – she wouldn't go for that in a million years. She loves her family too much to set you on them."

Gina slapped his arm.

"Ow – what is it with the women in my life hitting me?"

"You know the cost."

Jake sighed. Between the punishment for failing to agree to the terms of the bet and upsetting Amy it was pretty much looking like being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

As soon as Jake gave his answer feeling very depressed Rosa came over and punched him in the gut.

"Ow!"

"Go home. _Now_."

"Okay, okay." Jake said and half ran to Amy who was giving Rosa a thumbs up.

Amy sat at her desk having come in by herself this morning. Jake said he had to run back to his apartment for some fresh clothes although she was pretty sure there were _some_ clean shirts he had at her place.

Gina whistled and the rest of the precinct started catcalling at someone who had just walked into the pen.

Amy got up to see what was going on and felt her jaw drop.

Jake was stood in the entrance wearing a green dress and a tie with very bad makeup on and fishnet tights scowling as Gina took his picture.

When he saw her face he said, "You have no _idea_ how much you owe me!"


	26. Chapter 26

**Twenty Six**

For the first time in three years Jake's birthday fell on a weekend and happily coincided with his mom's cruise meaning he got to spend it with Amy lounging around rather than working and then being forced to eat an entire birthday cake at his mom's later on.

When Amy asked why he didn't want any presents he showed her a clip from Seinfeld in which George explained how birthdays were relationship killers. While Amy didn't take it very seriously Jake considered Seinfeld to be his own moral guide and was adamant she shouldn't get him anything.

Not that that stopped her from coming up with a couple of ideas.

In the morning she purposely didn't make a big deal out of his birthday. The fact that Jake wasn't big on celebrating his birthday's really surprised her, she imagined he'd have been one of those people who would love a huge party and people being nice to him all day.

She had originally thought about throwing him a surprise party until a conversation two weeks ago.

_"No."_

_"Really, you don't like surprise parties?" Of course Amy had let the cat out of the bag._

_"I hate surprise parties. They're hostile. You go into a dark room and have people jump out and shout things at you. Who came up with that?"_

_"O-kay."_

And that was the death of that plan.

They went out for lunch to Sal's and when they got back to her apartment she gave him the first inkling of what she had in store for later.

She pulled a cake out of the fridge and topped it with some candles before setting it in front of him.

"Make a wish."

"You didn't bake this right?" She pouted, restraining herself from punching him as it was his birthday.

"Because I _love_ your cooking. Honestly I could eat your food morning noon and night." He said hastily.

She sat down next to him and put her hand on his knee. "Nice try, and for the record the only contribution I made to this cake was sticking the candles in and lighting them. Besides given what I have planned for tonight the last thing you want is food poisoning." She said jokingly.

"Why what have you got planned for tonight?"

"The wax is dripping on the cake."

"Oh shit." He said and blew it out. "I forgot to make a wish."

"What would you have wished for?"

"Can't tell you that it won't come true."

"You just said you didn't make a wish!"

"A man can dream." He said smiling at her scowling face.

She stood up to get a knife and cut two slices.

"So what are we doing tonight exactly?"

"A man can be patient." Amy replied pointing the knife at him before sliding his plate over. "Now stop talking and eat your cake."

"Yes ma'am."

They had taken a pile of cards from Jake's apartment (_although Amy would argue it was technically Gina's apartment_) with them and by the afternoon Jake finally sat down to open them. He must only have given the birthday related lectures to her as he had a pretty large pile stacked in front of him. The guys from the precinct had also passed on cards to Amy and she got up to go grab them from her purse.

When she came back she found Jake looking at something.

"Is that a letter?" She asked and sat down next to him.

He didn't answer so she leant into his shoulder to read the name.

"Jake. Who is this?" It was only signed off with the initial M.

He passed her a picture and she immediately spotted Jake who must have only been about two beaming up at her. He was snuggled close to his mother who was in the forefront of the photo but in the background was a man whose smile looked much more forced, a man who looked curiously like Jake.

"It's from my dad."

Jake passed the letter to her and stood up running his hands through his hair before going into the kitchen. Amy could hear some kind of drink being poured.

Scanning through the letter it appeared Jake's father had come back to the city and wanted to meet him and potentially his mother if she agreed. He said he wanted to explain everything that had happened and hopefully get to know Jake. It appeared the cause for his sudden reappearance was him making his way through the twelve steps. Apparently making amends with people you've wronged was one of them.

He came back through and set his glass on the table. For once she didn't tell him to use a coaster.

"Jake?" She said rubbing his shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yeah." He said taking the letter off her. "Yeah I'm fine." He folded it up and put it on the table before taking her hand.

"Are you gonna meet him?" She asked cautiously. Jake had always been sensitive about his father.

"No. I'll tell my mum about the letter though. Never know she might want to meet him."

"Okay – well she gets back on Monday right?"

"Yep. I'm meeting her at the station."

"Did you want me to go with you?"

He squeezed her hand. "She'd like that."

"_Jake_, are you _sure_ you're okay."

"Yeah – let's not let it ruin the day." He said leaning back.

"Okay." She turned to press a kiss to his cheek.

"So do I get to find out about my surprise now?"

"Actually you already have plans." She said biting her lip. "I tried to stop them but they were adamant."

"Stop who?" He said cautiously.

"Charles – apparently everyone from the precinct is coming over to kidnap you for a drink."

He grimaced. "They just made us go out for a drink."

"Actually I'm not going."

"What? No fair."

She smiled coyly at him. "I told you – I have a surprise. You'll enjoy it." She said rubbing his arm with her free hand.

About an hour later the gang knocked on the door and Rosa half dragged Jake out while Amy stood in the doorway waving goodbye.

He had to begrudgingly admit that he rather enjoyed himself. Even Holt made an appearance. By this point he had all but forced the letter from his dad into the back of his mind.

Remembering Amy's specific instructions not to get home until after eleven Jake frequently checked his watch his curiosity definitely getting the better of him.

At ten Rosa surprisingly dropped out claiming she had "Stuff."

By quarter to eleven Jake pried himself from Gina who was totally blotto by this point passing her over to Charles who swore to take her home.

Using the key Amy had given him he let himself into the dim apartment lighted by a few scattered candles.

"Amy?"

The bedroom door opened and the first thing Jake saw was a hot red shoe. His eyes trailed up her stockings and over the black lingerie she had put on.

Amy smiled as he felt his eyes rake over her body and leaned into the door frame and ran her hand through her curled hair eventually letting her arm rest above her head.

"Happy Birthday."

**_And no that is not the end of Jake's dad. I thought I better come up with a storyline for Jake as most of them have been pretty Amy centric and the idea just came to me this afternoon. Oh and the reference about surprise parties comes from a speech by Mark Sloan on Grey's Anatomy (which you should YouTube because it's funny), the Seinfeld episode I'm referencing is The Deal and how I imagine Amy looks at the end is exactly how Yvonne Strahovski looks in Chuck Versus the Zoom (YouTube: Chuck Cracked Like An Egg)._**


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

Jake woke up at the wrong end of the bed with Amy's foot pressed against his shoulder. Sitting up he surveyed the room where everything had been knocked over in their wake. Perhaps he'd been a little overenthusiastic.

He tugged at Amy's leg to wake her up.

"Amy."

She groaned into the pillow.

"It's Sunday." At least that's what he thought she said.

"It's eleven."

"It's Sunday." She repeated more clearly and turning her face into the pillow pulled the comforter over her head.

Jake gave up on her and, first finding a pair of boxers to put on, tiptoed into the living room shutting the door behind him.

His first port of call was the kitchen to put some coffee on and to find some cereal for breakfast. Originally all Amy had had in the cupboards was porridge and granola but Jake had taken to buying himself provisions for whenever he was over.

He eventually settled himself in the living room, after setting a cup of coffee on Amy's bedside table, and began to sort through the cards he had gotten yesterday. Inevitably he wound up on the letter at the bottom of the pile.

It had been a complete shock to get the letter from his dad. Ever since he abandoned them he hadn't received so much as a phone call from the man. His mother had always been so angry at him for that. In his mother's eyes it was okay for him to have left her, but it was unacceptable that he didn't at least make an effort to see his only child.

Given how young he'd been when his father had left he'd never been entirely sure of the reasons why his father left although his mother's relatives had made it pretty clear that alcohol was involved. However whenever he tried to ask his mother about it she shut the conversation down saying that it was in the past and she didn't want to talk about it.

He could understand why if this happened to someone else they might have been tempted to meet the man. To try and understand what had happened. But to Jake it was all very clear. His father had left them – why didn't really matter to him. If the letter was any indication it wasn't like there was some perfect explanation behind it. That he hadn't wanted to leave. That he hadn't felt suffocated with family life. And when he had left, in Jake's mind, he'd given up any right to interfere in their lives again, especially this late on.

He was more than tempted to tear the letter in half but wanting to gauge his mother's reaction he settled for out of sight out of mind and put it in his jacket pocket.

Amy shuffled out of the bedroom tightening the belt of her robe and came to sit beside him.

"You wanna do anything today?" Amy asked, unaware that Jake had reread the letter. "It's your birthday weekend – we can go out somewhere for breakfast." She frowned. "Well I guess it's more like lunch now."

He let out a big breath. "I have a better idea." Turning he pressed his lips to her neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her up prompting a giggle out of her. Pausing he scooped up her legs and carried her back to the bedroom slamming the door and shutting out any thoughts of his father behind him.

_**Sorry it's a bit short but work is really starting to pile up!**_


End file.
